Fit fundraiser is up for an award

Pride of Oldham nominee Sharon Livesey

WITH more than a year of endurance races, including marathons, open water swims and even a gruelling Ironman competition under her belt, Sharon Livesey has rightly earned the respect of hundreds of Oldhamers.

Her efforts, which included 35 challenges in 11 months last year, have seen her raise thousands of pounds for Maggie's Oldham cancer care centre.

Now she has been rewarded with a Pride in Oldham nomination for her fundraising and charity awareness raising efforts.

The mum-of-two was the first community fundraiser to pledge support for the cancer care charity in 2016, before ground had even been broken at the Royal Oldham Hospital site.

Her challenges, which included an international Ironman 70.3 challenge in Australia, a freezing 5.25mile swim in Coniston Water and her first ever Manchester Marathon, not only raised £2,200 for the centre, but inspired a raft of others to get involved with the charity.

It is all the more impressive considering the 38-year-old only began any form of triathlon training a year earlier after making a New Year resolution to get fitter.

Sharon, from Derker, said: "I'm overwhelmed to have been nominated for a Pride in Oldham award.

"It feels great to be recognised for what I've done but it is not something I ever expected.

"I wanted to choose a local charity and when I heard about Maggie's it seemed like the perfect choice.

"Everyone knows someone who has been affected by cancer and it's important that people have somewhere like Maggie's where they can go for help and advice in a welcoming environment."

Sharon, who owns Mario Hair Design on King Square Shopping Centre in Oldham, was also one of the first people to see inside the centre when it opened in June.

"It was an emotional day, but it is so nice to see how the money I've helped to raise will have an impact," she said.

Now in her second year of fundraising, Sharon is hoping to match the amount raised last year and has already completed a full Ironman Challenge - a 2.4 mile open water swim, 112-mile cycle and 26.2 mile run in Bolton in July.

She has also joined the centre's fundraising team and regularly raises awareness of the innovative programme of support available at Maggie's.

Supporting her nomination, Laura Tomlinson, of Maggie's Oldham, said: "Sharon is a fantastic part of our team.

"We have a had a lot of people get in touch with us or start to fundraise for us because they've seen her challenges or she's spoken to them about us.

"She was the first on board with Maggie's and has certainly inspired dozens to get involved."

• Check out more pictures of Sharon Livesey on our picture sales page.