When a close friend or family member dies suddenly many people try to make sense of their loss by doing something to help others. This is often the driving force behind people taking part in challenges such as sporting events or community fundraisers.

However Rebekha Phillips, a social worker in Hereford, who is originally from Ross-on-Wye, has set herself a huge personal challenge and is planning lots of events for other people to enjoy as well as raising money. She is planning to get fit and lose weight so that she can run the London Marathon next year. And for Becky this is a big challenge, she has already lost 1.5 stone and hopes to lose six dress sizes before the race.

Ross-born Rebekha, is also organising several community events for Ross, including a Santa Run, and she is doing all this in memory of her much loved younger brother, Jonathan Phillips.

Five months before he finished university 21-year-old Jonathan died very suddenly of a rare and undiagnosed heart condition, Giant Cell Mycarditis. Becky told the Ross Gazette: “He wasn’t a typical university student, he didn’t go out drinking and he worked very hard. We were so proud of him, and my parents and I miss him very much.”

Becky will be focusing for the next seven months on fundraising for the British Heart Foundation as they have given her a space for the London Marathon next year. She has set herself a target of £5,000 and although she is hoping to complete the marathon in under six hours she said that she has no idea how long it will take really, as she has never run before.

Becky is also fundraising for Crohns and Colitis UK, this is because Jonathan suffered with Colitis on a daily basis and never complained, despite it impairing his life opportunities. She has already raised over £220 by making cakes for family and friends, and with another eight booked she is hoping this will soon increase.

To make a donation to Becky's cause, please visit her Justgiving page: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/BeckyFlynnLondonMarathon and her Facebook event page is Raising for the British Heart Foundation in memory of Jonathan Phillips.

Becky is planning lots of other community events too. To read more about her endeavours, pick up this week's edition of the Ross Gazette.