A Chartered Financial Planner will run the London Marathon on Sunday as he continues his bid to help beat cancer.

Lewis Baxter, director of family-run Unividual, based at Corsham’s Hartham Park, is taking on the challenge after his grandmother Valerie Fenn battled breast cancer twice in the past.

Mr Baxter, 29, is raising money for the charity Worldwide Cancer Research.

The Chartered Financial Planner said: "Last year I trained to do the Bath Half Marathon and managed to raise over £5,000 with three other members of staff from Unividual. Just days after I finished I decided to raise more money for a cancer charity and the London Marathon has always been on my bucket list.

"I spend a lot of time helping my clients achieve their lifetime goals and objectives. The sad part of life is that events like getting a long-term sickness affect when and how you reach those goals.

“I have worked with several families who have had to deal with cancer and have witnessed the financial and emotional strife this has caused. My own Nanny Fenn has battled breast cancer twice and the effect that cancer has on people’s lives hit home then particularly. I saw how it impacted not just on her but Grandad who supported her every step of the way.”

He said: “Worldwide Cancer Research’s philosophy is ‘Whatever it takes, wherever it takes us’, something that rings true with what I want to achieve and the attitude I have for this experience. I wanted to pick a charity which helped to deal with the problem at source, by aiming to remove cancer as a risk to us all.”

The family-run business, including sister and Chartered Marketing Director, Cherie-Anne Baxter, and father and managing director, John Baxter, are “on a mission” to help his fundraising, he said. Combined efforts have drummed up over 60 donations from clients, friends, family and suppliers to the business.”

Miss Baxter, 33, said: “We wanted to be able to help, in whatever small way we could, so that one day in the future people don’t have to go through those devastating experiences that our family and others have. Huge thanks to everyone who helped us get this far. It is now down to Lewis to get round the track but with all the training and healthy eating I know he will do it. We will be down there on the day cheering him every step of the way.”