Queen’s Park councillor to run a marathon for Kensal Green charity

The Mayhew Animal Home is in Kensal Green (Image: www.whitegoldimages.co.uk 07712 928000)

A councillor will be lacing up his running boots and taking on a marathon in a bid to raise vital funds for an animal shelter in Kensal Green.

Cllr James Denselow will be running the Bournemouth marathon to raise money for The Mayhew Animal Home.

The rescue centre, in Trenmar Gardens, is one of the busiest animal welfare organisations in the capital and helps thousands of cats, dogs and other animals escape cruelty and abandonment.

The Labour councillor for the Queen’s Park ward said he was inspired by a visit to the centre where he was told of the increasing number of kittens and animals being abandoned.

Recently the charity has contacted the Times to highlight a number of cases of animals being dumped in and around the borough.

In March, Zoe Edwards, the Mayhew’s managing animal welfare officer, told us: “Over the last month we have dealt with so many cases of abandoned, young animals.

“With a charity like The Mayhew offering help and advice to all pet owners and providing low cost and free neutering and vaccinations, there is no excuse for the people who are continuing to discard their pets.”

Cllr Denselow will be taking on the 26-mile challenge this October with the hope of raising more than £1,000 to help them continue with their vital work.

He told the Times: “I am really excited to be running my fourth marathon to raise money for the Mayhew.

“As a cat owner myself it affected me deeply to hear about how the economic climate was leading to increasing abandonments of pets. I will be doing a lot of my training running around Brent so I hope people can offer me sponsorship on the move!”

To sponsor Cllr Denselow go to: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=jamesdenselow