Councillor to run half marathon with litter picker

A woman is planning to run a half marathon while carrying a litter picker and a waste bag to raise awareness about littering.

Stroud councillor Gill Thomas will take on the Stroud Half Marathon later in October, combining her love for running with a cause close to her heart.

“I'm a really active, energetic person, who loves running and doing stuff that's a bit quirky, so this challenge ticks all the boxes,” said Ms Thomas, who was newly-elected to Stroud District Council in May.

She highlighted that litter management costs council taxpayers a significant amount.

"It's very easy to turn a blind eye, but actually it costs council tax payers around £770,000 a year for the council to clear fly-tipping, sweep the streets, empty the bins, and pick up litter.

"It's important to raise awareness and get people thinking that litter is everyone's responsibility, not just the local waste authority's," she said.

Ms Thomas, who has been running for pleasure for over 15 years, said it has always been her way of staying fit, active, and unwinding.

"I took up running about 15 years ago when we lived in London, and I could barely run to the end of the road."

While her usual time for a flat half marathon is around 1 hour and 45 minutes, she is not focused on her time for this race but on the message her run will convey.

"I’m hoping to finish in under two hours, but that depends on how much litter I find along the route," she said.

"I've allowed myself up to three hours, which is the maximum time before you get a 'Did Not Finish.' If it takes longer, it will just highlight the litter problem in Stroud and the need for action."

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