Quiz night boosts fundraising target for Stansted woman Emma O’Boyle aiming to run 12 marathons in 12 months for MS-UK charity

A quiz night organised by a Stansted woman planning to run 12 marathons in 12 months for charity has helped her smash her fundraising target.

The event at Birchwood High School in Bishop’s Stortford on November 15 saw 12 teams fill the hall in support of Emma O’Boyle’s challenge to raise £2,000 for MS-UK – a charity close to her heart as her late father, Robert Wing, lived with multiple sclerosis.

Having already raised £1,294 via her online fundraising page, the quiz generated £796.97 to top her initial target.

But with Emma’s epic challenge not due to start until the new year, she hopes people will still donate to raise even more.

“I ran the London Marathon in my dad’s memory in 2022 not long after he’d passed away, but got back into running again this year and wanted to do something bigger and a bit more impressive for the charity,” she said.

Emma, 42, is aiming to run marathons in London, Wales, Helsinki, Valencia and Loch Ness.

The mum of two girls – Lily, 5, and Sophie, 2 – received super support from companies donating great raffle prizes, including champagne tea for two at Down Hall Hotel, beauty treatments and store vouchers.

She thanked quizmasters Simon Reynolds and Dave Willcocks, who donated their time for free, Simply Linens in Harlow, which supplied the table linen, and Nightingale Balloons, which created a magnificent archway display.

“I was overwhelmed by their generosity,” said Emma.