• UK charity offers ten runners free place in marathon for those who pledge to raise a minimum of £500

23rd February 2016 – Sound Seekers, a UK charity dedicated to helping deaf people in some of the world’s poorest communities, is searching for volunteers to take part in its first ever Manchester Marathon.

The Manchester Marathon is dubbed the “flattest, fastest and friendliest” in the UK, and Sound Seekers are calling out to ten keen runners to take on the challenge while raising money for a great cause in the process. Each runner will receive a free place in the marathon if they pledge to raise a minimum of £500. Emma Judge, Sound Seekers CEO, explains how the generosity and kindness of the general public in events like this is key for the charity to continue its great work.

“We are delighted to have been able to provide life-changing opportunities to deaf people across Africa for over twenty one years. However, without events such as these and the incredible support we have consistently received, we would not be able to make a difference to so many people. Those who do run on our behalf will be going a long way to raise awareness of deafness as a significant health issue in the developing world and importantly enabling us to provide more children and adults with the support they need to access education and employment.”

Sound Seeker’s great affinity with the city stems back to the charity’s recent initiative where it funded four Malawian students to study audiology at the University of Manchester. Once these students have graduated, they will return to Malawi where their new skills and expertise will be invaluable to people suffering from deafness, as they become the country’s first audiologists among a population of 16,000,000. Emma Judge explains the importance of ensuring that the money raised by Sound Seekers is invested in a way that will lead to sustainable change in Africa.

“Through the establishment of audiology and education services, we can help local medical staff treat African people and reduce dependency on the outside world. This means that the funds we raise through events such as the Manchester Marathon can go on helping people for years to come.”

So if you are looking to challenge yourself and want to help raise money for a really worthy cause, why not sign up? For more details please visithttp://www.sound-seekers.org.uk.