Abta’s De Vial within distance of £100k FHA target

De Vial has so far raised £17,000 from his 2020 effort, making him just £3,000 short of his overall £100,000 target, set when he began running the event for the FHA in 2013.

De Vial completed his first London Marathon in 1988 and this year marks 40 years in the travel industry.

He braved torrential rain to complete the latest virtual event.

“I ended up doing a 50km round trip (a marathon is 42km) from the Abta offices in London Bridge to Kew Bridge and back along the Thames – a very wet and very strange London Marathon,” he said.

“The first half was really tough with the rain, heavy and in the face, then gradually reducing but not ever stopping completely on the way back.”

Money raised this year will go specifically towards the FHA’s Give Them A Break campaign, supporting key workers in the gravest financial need to have a holiday.

“What I would really like to do is get the FHA Give Them A Break campaign to £25,000. They have separately raised £3,655, so in total are now at £20,938,” he said.

You can donate at uk.virginmoneygiving.com/JohndeVial