A SIX-YEAR-OLD from Earley has run 30km to raise money for the RSPCA. Daya Gill completed the 18.6 mile challenge in March, raising £446 for the charity.
She ran the distance over the month, with her longest run totalling 5.4km (3.4 miles) through the University of Reading and around Whiteknights Lake.
She says: “I love animals and really want a dog so I chose to raise money for the RSPCA through my running challenge.
“I love running and I am really proud of what I have done.
“I thought it would be really hard to do 30km but actually I was surprised that I did it when my mum totalled up my distance one day.”
But it wasn’t all easy.
“The hardest part was on a day that I went running when I was already too tired because I’d been gardening,” she explains. “I ran out of energy and fell and hurt my knees badly. I only managed 1km when usually I can do 3.2km or more.
“The funniest time was when I ran around a local lake dressed up as a dog – I made friends with lots of other dogs who were also on their walk.”
Daya says she is so happy to have been awarded a certificate by the RSPCA, as well as a subscription to its magazine for beating her fundraising target.
She adds: “I love the magazine because it has lots of animal stories which I love reading but they are also sad because some of these animals were suffering before they were rescued.”
Natasha, Daya’s Mum says the family are really proud of her achievement.
“She stayed really committed to it throughout the month which was great to see,” she says.
To donate, visit: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/daya-30km
