THE trustees of the Penarth and District Lesotho Trust were delighted when the news came that the Patron of the charity, Stephen Doughty MP, was taking part in the twelfth annual Fun Run. Participants gathered under cloudy skies in Cosmeston Country Park, with the wind blowing strongly and showers threatening, on Saturday afternoon, May 10.

A number of fun runners stayed away because of the weather, but a strong turnout still took part in the Penarth Cytun (Council of Churches) organised race.

The annual Fun Run began in 2003, supporting Ty Hafan in its early years, but when the Penarth Youth Project joined and made the event part of their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award challenge it seemed more appropriate to support the Teenage Cancer Trust in the University Hospital of Wales.

In recent years the Fun Run has supported the Penarth and District Lesotho Trust and their work in rebuilding and resourcing Teyateyaneng Junior Academy in Lesotho, known as the “Mountain Kingdom”.

Runners from seven churches, the Penarth Library and from a women’s group, plus some members of the PADLT Youth group who are going to Lesotho this summer, lined up at the start line.

Stephen Doughty MP, who is going to Lesotho this summer with the senior group from Penarth, also took part in the race.

The winner, Sara Redwood from Tabernacle, was one of the original trio to visit Lesotho over ten years ago.

The Rev Peter Cox and Jeremy Dix, who are both still very much involved with the charity today, were the other two involved in the trip that led to the setting up of PADLT.

The Rev Sue Fender from Elfed Avenue United Church, as Vice Chairman of Penarth Cytun, had the duty of starting the event in the unfortunate absence of the current Chairman Rev Elfed Jones.

The girls won the day as Kerry Wheelan, from the library, and Kay Nellins, from All Saints and St Peters, followed Sara home. The boys were led by the brothers Oliver and Henry El-Jawhari.

Henry will be going to Lesotho with the PADLT Youth group in August.

The organiser Keith Howells thanked all those for participating and supporting PADLT. The money raised will again go to the TY Junior Academy and its newly built library building funded by the people of Penarth.

A further event, the plant and craft sale, will take place on Saturday, May 17, from 10am till 12pm in Stanwell Road Baptist Church hall and lawns next to the Paget Rooms. Plants can be brought to the hall from 8am on Saturday. Plants can also be collected if you phone Suki Flynn on 029 2070 2269. Money raised from both events will again go directly to Godfrey Kakande the head teacher of TY Junior Academy who has done such marvellous work for his pupils half of whom are orphans.

More general information on the activities of PADLT over the past decade can be found on www.padlt.btck.co.uk