Father and son take on Great South Run in memory of baby daughter Maisie, 18 years after her loss

Stagecoach South East managing director Joel Mitchell is returning to the Great South Run 18 years after first taking on the event following the loss of his daughter Maisie.

Joel, who turned 50 this year, will run the 10-mile event on 18 October alongside his 17-year-old son Jasper, raising money for Eastbourne charity Muma Nurture.

Maisie was stillborn 18 years ago, and in the period following her death Joel turned to running as one way of processing his grief, taking part in the Great South Run that same year.

Now, 18 years later, Joel will return to the event, this time with Jasper by his side, to honour Maisie’s memory, while also remembering other babies who have been lost through miscarriage, stillbirth and other forms of pregnancy and baby loss.

Muma Nurture supports people affected by fertility challenges, perinatal mental health difficulties and pregnancy and baby loss.

Joel said: “Losing Maisie was an incredibly difficult time in my life, and running became one of the ways I processed some of that grief. I did the Great South Run 18 years ago, after we lost her, so coming back to it now feels like things have come full circle.

“I turned 50 this year and Maisie would have been 18, so it felt like the right moment to do something to recognise that milestone and remember her, while also recognising all the other babies who have been lost and the families who carry that loss with them.

“To return to the Great South Run 18 years later, this time with Jasper alongside me, is going to be incredibly special. I’ve never run an event with him before. He’s much fitter than me and I expect to be significantly slower than I was 18 years ago, but sharing that experience and crossing the finish line together will mean a huge amount.”

Joel chose Muma Nurture after getting to know the charity through Stagecoach South East’s work in the Eastbourne community. The company’s Eastbourne team has supported the charity, including through Muma Nurture’s Chasing Rainbows campaign, which saw the town’s Dotto Train join its Rainbow Passport trail this summer.

Joel added:

“Muma Nurture does wonderful work supporting people through some incredibly difficult experiences. It’s a cause that means a lot to me personally, but I also wanted to support a smaller local charity making a real difference in one of the communities we serve.

“The training is going badly! We’re both very busy, Jasper is much fitter than me, and after running 11 kilometres recently I could barely walk properly. It’s going to be a real challenge, but we want to raise as much as we possibly can.”

A spokesperson for Muma Nurture said: “We’re incredibly grateful to Joel and Jasper for choosing to support Muma Nurture and for sharing such a deeply personal story.

“Pregnancy and baby loss, whether through miscarriage, stillbirth or other circumstances, stays with families, and milestones can carry so much meaning. For Joel to return to the Great South Run 18 years after losing Maisie, this time alongside Jasper, while also remembering other babies who have been lost, is incredibly moving.

“Every pound they raise will help us continue to be there for people and families experiencing fertility challenges, perinatal mental health difficulties and pregnancy or baby loss. We’ll be cheering Joel and Jasper on every step of the way.”

Joel and Jasper will take part in the Great South Run in Portsmouth on October 18.

To support their challenge and raise funds for Muma Nurture, visit https://gofund.me/1cc5ca050.