Margate bus driver gets set to run his fifth charity marathon

This weekend, Stagecoach bus driver Garry Warren will run the Istanbul Marathon to raise money for victims of the 2023 Turkey-Syria earthquakes.

The earthquakes devastated large parts of Turkey and Syria in February last year, with an estimated 14 million people affected. Their impact continues to be felt and hundreds of thousands of people are still reliant on temporary accommodation or unable to access safe shelter.                

The 55-year-old bus driver from Margate has already run four marathons and five half-marathons, raising over £11,000 for a range of charities. This time, he is supporting the Didim-based charity Help-in-Hands.

Help-in-Hands supports communities in Didim and in Turkey more broadly, with a particular focus on giving children with disabilities the help they need to integrate with their communities. The charity has also helped to rebuild after the earthquakes and has built around 30 homes equipped with insulated bathrooms, kitchens, play areas, and allotments.

Garry Warren said “I wanted to run a marathon in Istanbul as I’ve been coming to Turkey since 2005 and have fallen in love with the country. I know many Turkish people and thought I could run the Istanbul marathon for them. I have run in Didim on my holidays when the temperature has been in the 40s, so I should be ok with the weather in November!" 

He added, “I have been running since I was 15 years old and have even competed against Seb Coe in a cross-country race. I’ve run three London marathons and the Paris marathon.

“I’m really looking forward to this new challenge and raising money for such a worthy cause.”

A fundraising page has been launched for those wanting to supporting Garry’s efforts. It can be found at: https://gofund.me/b8306278.

The Istanbul Marathon is the world’s only inter-continental marathon, beginning in Asia and crossing into Europe. The route passes many of Istanbul’s most iconic sights, including the Hagia Sophia, the Hippodrome of Constantinople, the historic city centre and the Seven Hills.