Sherwood bride's delayed wedding day becomes charity run

A woman whose wedding plans were scuppered by the coronavirus outbreak spent her special day running 5km in her dress for charity instead.

Tracie Stanley-Wills, from Sherwood, Nottingham, had been due to marry partner Craig but the ceremony was cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions.

She said instead of spending Saturday moping, she wanted to do something positive.

Her run, done in 36 minutes, raised nearly £1,000 for two local charities.

Ms Stanley-Wills, who has fibromyalgia, osteoporosis and a false hip, ran a route from Northgate in Basford to Wollaton Hall with "amazing support from drivers along the way".

The £995 raised will be split between the intensive care unit at Nottingham's Queen's Medical Centre and Studio House, a rehabilitation centre for people with addiction problems.

"It was hard, it was painful but I did it," Ms Stanley-Wills said.

"A lot of time, effort and love went into organising it [the wedding] and it will still happen, one day.

"So rather than spend the day feeling sad and melancholy at what could have been, I decided to do something positive, a couch to 5km run, in a wedding dress and veil.

"It might not be a marathon but, suffering with fibromyalgia and osteoporosis for years, along with a false hip, it was certainly a challenge for me."

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