The Bishop of Tuam, Killala and Achonry in western Ireland is to raise funds for a clean water project in Ethiopia by running the London Marathon on April 26.

Dr Richard Henderson is running on behalf of the Church of Ireland’s Bishops’ Appeal, which will put the money raised towards a Christian Aid-run project providing clean water to desert communities in Ethiopia.

“Water is vital to life and a primary right of all people. I may be hoping to run a marathon but there are people in the world who have to walk its equivalent mileage in order to get daily supplies of water,” he said.

“Providing clean water locally provides a basic need but also frees people up to obtain an education, till the land, and look after animals.

“Water is also of central symbolic importance to both the Christian and Jewish faiths – it purifies and nourishes. It is time we talked about hydrotheology!”

Bishop Henderson has been in training for the annual marathon, which takes runners on a route of just over 26 miles across London’s streets. He admits the run will be challenging.

“I’m not naturally sporty, so it’s a bit of a departure for me, but I’ve been training hard and ran 19 miles last week,” he said. “I’m still conscious and perpendicular, so I’m looking forward to the marathon itself – I think!”

On the web:
To sponsor Bishop Henderson’s marathon run, visit www.mycharity.ie