For the first time ever, six residents and two ex-residents of the Bethany Christian Centre, supported by two staff, will be participating in the Edinburgh Marathon Festival 2026.
With two marathon relay teams, a determined 5km runner, and a terrified 1/2 marathon runner, they are on a mission to raise vital funds for the Centre that helped them turn their lives around.
Current Centre resident, Joe said: I never knew about this place, and I was in a bad place, real bad place with a cocaine addiction. This place is a godsend, literally. It does amazing things for people who are in vulnerable places. I didn’t even think I’d be doing something like this seven months ago.
Dale, an ex-resident also running said: “I was at the Centre about a year ago and I had always heard about Bethany but could never really get a day clean to come in. Eventually I did and it was incredible because you can be in recovery but not actually have life skills but at the Centre, I learned to be patient with others and that to be free you have to do the things I used to avoid.”
The Bethany Christian Centre in Leith is a supported community for men who are homeless, providing assistance to individuals in their recovery from addiction. The Centre provides access to a recovery programme including structured group-work, one-to-one support, recreation, voluntary work and training opportunities. With up to16 spaces available, it is an abstinence-based community for men who are motivated to address underlying issues and work towards setting firm and positive foundations.
Bethany Christian Centre Manager, Leanne McCracken said: “Our guys have been training hard over these past few months, overcoming not just the physical challenges of running, but the mental challenges of getting out and about, and pushing through some tough times. They’ve all done exceptionally well, and it would be a real encouragement to them if they could raise their goal of £2,000.”
There is still time to support the Bethany Bananagrams in reaching their fundraising target by donating to their Just Giving page.