By 
STAFF at an Omagh Hotel which has been closed for over two month are putting their best foot forward and walking a marathon around their hotel for charity.
Liam McElhinney, manager at the Silverbirch Hotel in Omagh is planning to walk/jog a full marathon distance around the grounds of the hotel – going around the hotel 76 times.
At least one member of the hotel’s staff will join Liam for each mile during his walk, and the group hopes to raise money for local NHS staff and for Cancer Focus NI.
During these troubled times, the team at the hotel are keen to show our appreciation to all the frontline staff striving to keep us all safe.
The fundraising event will take place on Sunday June 14 2020 at the hotel.
Speaking to the UlsterHerald, Liam said, “I am going to do the whole marathon and some of the staff will join me for a mile or two each.
“I am training to do the New York marathon and I am doing it for Cancer Focus NI.
“They are really struggling for funds at the moment because of Covid-19 because they have lost a lot of fundraising.
“So I thought, lets do something around the hotel and spilt it between Cancer Focus NI and our NHS workers.
“The staff are all really interesting in doing.
“It is a great way to get the staff involved too because none of us have seen each other in a long time, and it is good to give something back to the community who have always been supportive of us,” explained Liam.
The staff aim to raise around £1,500 for the fundraiser but would be delighted if they exceeded their target.
The Silverbirch Hotel has been closed for around two months, and so far, the hotel is no closer to re-opening.
Liam continued, “We are waiting on Government guidelines and that could be the end of July, or even September. Who knows.
“It is so up in the air at the minute, so we really don’t know when we will get reopening.
“So this event will be great for the moral of staff.
“We will be social distancing and doing it safely but there is plenty of room for us around the grounds,” concluded Liam.
To donate to the fundraising event, visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/silverbirch-hotel-marathon-charity-fundraiser
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