Bury St Edmunds vet set to run London marathon for local animal charity

Jess Warren with her cocker spaniel Sprout (Image: Archant)

And she’s decided to take on the biggest run of them all in London in just over a week’s time.

The 23-year-old, who is a vet at Eastgate Veterinary Clinic, in Cotton Road, Bury St Edmunds, is gearing up for the run on April 22 in a bid to raise funds for the Newmarket-based veterinary research charity, the Animal Health Trust

She is crazy about animals and has three dogs of her own ... two of them retired racing greyhounds, called Ted and Bella, and a recently rescued and young cocker spaniel named Sprout.

Sprout has been helping Jess with her training as she’s been finding new routes to keep up the miles.

Speaking about her motivations for the challenge she said: “As a local vet in Suffolk I have experienced first-hand the brilliant work the Animal Health Trust do.

“There is still so much we do not know about diseases which affect our four-legged family members about which diagnostic tests are best and which are the best treatments in terms of their evidence base.

“The research the AHT complete is vital in helping animals around the world.

“I am very excited to be running my first marathon but also apprehensive about tackling such a challenge.

“Above all I feel very privileged to be raising money for such a brilliant charity and can’t wait to be one of the thousands of runners together raising millions of pounds for amazing worthwhile causes. Wish me luck!”

In the build up to the marathon as well as finding time to train Jess, who lives in Elmswell, has also been busy making unique birthday cakes to help raise funds for the AHT.

She also hosted a quiz night at a local sports club, has set up a prize draw at the vet practice where she works and also made and sold her own Christmas cards to raise funds.

Jess is now very close to her £2,000 fundraising target.

To help her reach it go to her dedicated fundraising page.