Crash survivor runs 30km to raise £30k (From Richmond and Twickenham Times)

Crash survivor runs 30km through Richmond to raise £30k

7:00am Thursday 23rd August 2012 in News By Amy Dyduch

A coach crash survivor ran 30km through Richmond to raise £30,000 for charity.

Charlotte Hogg, 27, ran on the 12th anniversary of the crash which killed three and injured seven in Cambridgeshire.

Susan Maynard, who lost her 18-year-old son Wayne in the crash, was at the finish line to congratulate Miss Hogg on Tuesday.

She said: “It’s so lovely for something positive to happen after all this time. She’s done marvellous and we are very proud of her.”

An emotional Miss Hogg, an entrepreneur and founder of a change management company, said: “The motivation was that I lost I really good friend in the coach crash – for me, he was the most amazing person ever.”

She started the run at 7am in Twickenham and crossed the finish line at the PopUp Britain shop opposite Richmond station after four hours and 25 minutes.

The money raised from the run will be split between Headway, Kids Company and Help for Heroes.

In a speech moments after the run, Miss Hogg expressed her gratitude to her trainer Sarah and her family.

She said: “Thank you all so much for being here and supporting me, most of you know this is for one person and I just want to mention the Wittering cadets who we all still remember so much.”

Miss Hogg started training three months ago and now has plans to run the marathon.

She said: “This was a result of three months of really hard work and has proved that anything is possible.”

Her dad, Keith, said he was surprised his daughter finished the run as she used to live an unhealthy lifestyle.

He said: “She had never done any exercise before. I didn’t think she could do it but she proved me wrong, I’m very proud.”

Sarah Martin who trained Miss Hogg said: “She did really well - it’s a testament to her mindset.”

PopUp Britain is host to six independent retail businesses every fortnight and is part of the StartUp Britain campaign, supported by David Cameron to encourage entrepreneurship in the UK.

Miss Hogg said: “I wanted to move on from the crash experience while exploring and accepting that this extraordinary episode in my life is part of what drives me to be a relentless entrepreneur.

“I wanted to finish the run at PopUp Britain because it symbolises innovation and hope for start-ups for the future.”