A READING runner raised £20,000 at the London Marathon on Sunday, October 2, for a cause close to his heart.
Nino Bartolomei, who owns a restaurant in Pangbourne, was running on behalf of Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice, Reading, who took care of his father before he died in 2018.
Also called Nino, his father was admitted to hospital in 2017, when he received a terminal diagnosis.
Nino Junior said: “From the moment he was admitted to the Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice, the whole team was nothing short of incredible.
“They were so kind and caring, and throughout dad’s stay we genuinely saw miraculous improvements in him, both physically and emotionally.
“Thanks to the hospice we were able to have so many more quality months with him than the original prognosis suggested.”
Nino Senior opened a total of 11 Italian restaurants over the course of his 50-year career, including the popular Nino’s in Market Place, Reading, which he ran for 32 years.
His remaining restaurant, Nino’s Trattoria, Pangbourne, is now owned and run by his son.
Inspired by the care his father received, Nino threw himself into fundraising activities such as running charitable menu dishes in his restaurant, hosting coffee mornings and fundraising at community fetes.
He also signed up for the London Marathon in 2020, which was cancelled due to the pandemic, forcing him to defer his place to this year.
Not to be deterred, Nino completed this year’s race in a time of five hours and 26 minutes.
The feat was all the more impressive given that he had no previous running experience.
Of the experience, he said: “I’m so pleased that I’ve finally completed such an amazing challenge.
“The atmosphere on the day was just amazing, and the buzz really does help carry you through the pain and exhaustion that running 26 miles can bring.”
He admitted struggling to fit training around a busy work schedule at the restaurant, while also nursing a knee injury.
Nino said his fundraising efforts “totally exceeded” his initial target and thanked those who have supported him.
He added: “I’m so proud to be able to give such a huge amount of money to the most deserving charity.
“Dad would have thought I was crazy for signing up for this challenge. He wasn’t the biggest advocate of exercise, on his day off he’d want us all to be sat on the sofa with him and he wouldn’t even want us to leave the house if it was cold outside.
“I’m sure he was looking down cheering me on, and I know he’d be very proud.”
Georgia Thornton, community fundraiser at Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice, said: “Congratulations Nino for completing the London Marathon in support of our hospice.
“He’s had to wait a long time to do this because of the pandemic and I think I speak on behalf of all of us when I saw we are so in awe of his continued dedication and commitment to accomplishing this challenge.”
Ms Thornton explained that, thanks to the efforts of fundraisers, the hospice’s healthcare teams can continue to go above and beyond in their provision for patients and their families.
