A CHESTER teacher is planning to run the London Marathon in memory of her best friend to raise money for the local children’s hospice that has helped her family and friends to say goodbye.

As Nicola Jackson, 27, crosses the finish line on April 28, she will be thinking of her special friend Chloe Farrell and the way she encouraged her during her training for her first half marathon in Chester in 2017.

“I’d started running the year before and only managed 0.8 of a mile my first time out so I made it a goal to run the Chester Half,” recalls Nicola, who works at the University of Chester.

“On the day of Chloe’s accident she had texted me to ‘practise walking, but make it look like you are running!’ It was the last thing she said to me.

“If she hadn’t given me that great advice I probably would have pulled out. The Chester Half was shortly after her accident and it was trying to keep running that gave me something to do during a completely helpless time.”

Chloe’s death in a tragic tractor accident in May 2017 at the age of just 22 had left her family and friends shocked and devastated.

It was Ty Gobaith at Conwy, part of Hope House Children’s Hospices, that was able to help.

Chloe, from Colwyn Bay was taken to the hospice’s Snowflake Suite, a special private space with a beautiful garden where her loved ones could say goodbye in their own time and in their own way over several days.

Nicola said: “Ty Gobaith really reached out to offer support to Chloe’s family and friends and we can’t thank them enough.

“Together with Chloe, I had supported Hope House and Ty Gobaith for many years, but I never realised until then that the hospices could also help families of children and young people who died right up to the age of 25 years.”

Nicola, who lives in Chester, will also be wearing her special angel wing bracelet as she pounds the streets of London. She bought one for Chloe too and it is her way of having a little bit of her friend always with her.

“She has left a giant Chloe-shaped hole in my life and I miss her so much – she would always text you good luck, or call in to see how you were if you were having a bad time,” added Nicola.

“Chloe would have more belief in me finishing a marathon than I do! She would have been there cheering from the sideline and waiting at the finish line with a great big piece of chocolate cake!”

Hope House Fundraiser Nic Sciarrillo said she was thrilled to have secured a place in the VIP start for Nicola among all the celebrity runners.

Nic added: “Nicola’s passion for Hope House and Ty Gobaith and her special friendship with Chloe will get her through every one of those 26.2miles and we’ll all be cheering her on."

  • To sponsor Nicola and support her London Marathon, visit uk.virginmoneygiving.com/NicolaJackson33.

You can also see Nicola and Chloe’s family speaking bravely about their experiences of Ty Gobaith at www.tygobaithstories.org.uk.