Luton running group raises £100k for charity in marathon events

A Luton running group has raised a staggering £100,000 for charitable causes after completing a set of gruelling challenges in recent weeks.

The Luton Lions have been raising funds and awareness of worthy causes after they came together in 2017 to increase the health and wellbeing of members of the town’s South Asian community.

Thirty of the team completed the London Marathon, raising more than £60,000 for Children with Cancer UK.

“We do encourage people to come out and run, jog or walk and make steps towards improving their health,” said Sujel Miah. “We also work together to raise awareness for different causes and try and raise as much money as possible.”

On 18 September, a group walked from Luton to the Pakistan High Commission in central London to raise funds for and awareness of the plight of those that had lost their homes in the devastating floods that had hit the country, raising £29,000.

Naheem Aslam said: “The idea of walking 30 miles seemed tough, but it paled in comparison to what those in Pakistan were suffering at the time.”

A few days later, nine of the group completed the Berlin Marathon, raising £5,500 in memory of Aktar Miah, a member of the Luton Lions, who died in February. The funds went to setting-up an eye screening and cataract surgery service in Aktar’s ancestral village in Bangladesh.

“This was our first marathon abroad and it was tinged with sadness,” said Mostaque Koyes. “Sadly, we lost Aktar to cancer earlier this year and we all wanted to dedicate our Berlin Marathon success to his memory.”

Last year, Luton Lions raised £100,000 for Children with Cancer in 2021, as well as raising funds for Luton Foodbank.

In July, GP Dr. Monjour Ahmed led a challenge for Luton Lions to walk to Brick Lane in east London, raising more than £25,000 for the Bangladesh flood appeal.

“In 2019, I took my boys to London to cheer on the Luton Lions running the London Marathon,” added Erin Stewart.

“I made a promise that one day I would run the London Marathon and despite all of my doubts and fears, this year, as part of Luton Lions, I managed to complete it.”

Find out about joining the Luton Lions on Facebook or Twitter.