Soldier Steven sets his sights on £5000 donation to SANDS

Aug 26 2009 by Ian Bunting, Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser

AN Airdrie soldier put his running shoes on to raise over £2000 in memory of his baby daughter.

Steven Lawrie, and his wife Susan, were devastated when their first baby, Sophie, tragically died during labour in March this year.

The couple had no idea before they lost little Sophie how common it is for babies to die before, during or shortly after birth - a frightening 17 a day in Britain.

In an attempt to increase awareness, Steven set out to raise as much cash as possible for SANDS, the Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Charity.

For his first fundraising campaign, he entered the Asics London 10k Run. The race route took him through the centre of London and out of 30,000 competitors, Steven was delighted to finish in 187th place, with a time of 43 minutes 16 seconds.

Steven plans to raise over £5000 for SANDS in the next year and has already secured a place in the Great South Run in October, the 2010 London Half Marathon and is also hoping to earn a place in next year’s Virgin London Marathon.

He said: “SANDS relies entirely on donations to fund the vital work they do, so any fundraising that I can do to help will go a long way and will be greatly appreciated.”

Steven and Susan would like to thank all the friends and family in and around Airdrie for their support, and helping raise so much cash for a wonderful charity.

Steven has served as a soldier in the British Army for the past 12 years and has completed operational tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, along with an earlier tour in Northern Ireland.

He is currently based as an Army instructor in the South West of England.