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Raising money for Parkinson's disease - Wicksteed Playscapes will be cheering on one of its playground designers at the Silverstone Half Marathon event next year. Andy Prentice, Graphic Designer, has been on an incredible personal journey over the last eighteen months to slim from 18 and a half stone to just 14; dropping from a 42" to a 36" waistline!

Andy's motivation to get fit has been further fuelled by his mission to raise money for a charity close to his heart, Parkinson’s UK. (www.parkinsons.org.uk).

Two years ago and at 26 years of age, Andy realised that he was unfit and overweight as a result of little exercise and poor eating habits. “I’d always been large and after looking at some holiday snaps, I was horrified at how overweight I was and so decided to do something about it,” says Andy. With gym membership, he combined exercise sessions with healthy eating and worked with a personal trainer to really shift those extra pounds!

He has superseded his target weight loss of 3 stone with the loss of an additional stone and will continue with his healthier lifestyle to maintain his new weight. A few months into his ‘health kick’ a close family member was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.  He decided that one way to offer positive help was to raise money and awareness for Parkinson’s UK and challenged himself to take up running for charity. Motivated by rock legends, The Foo Fighters, on his iPod, he runs 6k three times a week and is now focusing on his next challenge which is to run the Silverstone Half Marathon on  Sunday 11^th March, where his friends and colleagues will be supporting him. 

To donate to his charity, visit www.justgiving.com/ANDYSBIGRUN2012 

 “Being fit has given me so much more energy, although it’s not been easy on the wallet as I’ve had to buy a whole new wardrobe for my new svelte physique!” laughs Andy. “The success of my fitness drive has even inspired some of my friends to start getting fit and it’s great that I can do something I now really enjoy as well as raising money for a worthwhile cause.”

Andy, keeping up the new fitness regime on a Wicksteed Skier from the Xerscape range

Andy - before his dramatic weight loss