Councillor Rehman Chishti runs the Reading Half Marathon
Money raised for charity and Gillingham & Rainham Conservatives

Conservative Cllr Rehman Chishti is celebrating his successful running of the Reading Half Marathon, which took place on the 24th of March to raise money for good causes in Rainham and Gillingham and the victims of the tragic Kashmir Earthquake. The Gillingham and Rainham Councillor ran a total of 13.1 miles in 2 Hours 20 Minutes and 27 seconds.

The time is a personal best for the 28 year-old Medway Conservative Councillor (currently representing Gillingham North), who will be running the Isle of Wight Half Marathon in August to raise money for maintenance work for St Margaret's Church*.

A total of £500 was raised which will be shared out between the The Dobson Trust (helping the elderly in Gillingham and Rainham), the Rainham Youth Cricket Club, UK Welfare Foundation - a charity which he helped set up to build schools and hospitals and which is particularly personal to Cllr Chishti, as he lost a number of relatives in the Kashmir Earthquake in 2006, and Gillingham and Rainham Conservative Association.

Cllr Chishti said:

"This was a great practice for August when I shall be running on the Isle of Wight to raise money for St Margaret's. Raising £500 in the process of it all is an added bonus. I hope that Rainham will benefit from the money, from the young people who are playing cricket to the senior citizens who are helped by the good work of the Dobson Trust.

"Politics is much more than just doing committee work and constituency work, for residents its about giving the local community blood sweat and grit in making things happen."

Cllr Chishti has also gained the backing of Benazir Bhutto, the Former Prime Minister of Pakistan, for his next run in August.

The Former Minister said she was delighted to sponsor Cllr Rehman Chishti in running the Half Marathon for such a worthy cause, and urged others to support him in his bid to raise money for St Margaret's Heritage Appeal.

Cllr Chishti said he was delighted that Mrs Bhutto had agreed to sponsor him and that he looked forward to the run in August.

Cllr Chishti is looking for sponsors for his next run in August, raising money desperately needed by a seriously endangered St Margaret's Church. If you would like to support him, you can email him at raychsihti@hotmail.com or call 07703484504. You're sponorship could really make a difference in saving this vital part of the community.

*For more information on the St. Margaret's Church Roof Appeal, you can visit their website