13 Jan 2026 Community

Dec McGivern Takes on Edinburgh Marathon for The Kirkwood

Dec McGivern is lacing up his running shoes and taking on his very first marathon, the Edinburgh Marathon, to raise vital funds for local hospice charity, The Kirkwood.

Dec, Founder and Director of Plura Mortgage Advice Ltd, will be running the famous event on Sunday 24 May 2026, setting himself an ambitious fundraising target and asking the community to get behind him ahead of race day.

He said: “I'm running in the Edinburgh Marathon on Sunday May 24th 2026 to raise money for The Kirkwood. We are setting a target of raising £3,000 & will be pledging £500 of our own money from Plura Mortgage Advice to the cause, to get the fundraising started.”

Although this will be Dec’s first full marathon, he’s no stranger to a challenge. In 2021, he completed a dual ultra run with a friend, proving he has the determination and stamina needed to push himself to the limit for a cause close to his heart.

Dec’s fundraising is also a natural next step in his growing relationship with The Kirkwood as a member of the charity’s Business Movement, a network of local businesses united by a shared commitment to supporting hospice care across Kirklees.

He explained: “We are a part of the Business Movement, and pay membership for that. We also ran a Christmas Competition on Social Media, and as part of that, donated £100 to The Kirkwood just last month in December 2025. This will be our first formal fundraiser for The Kirkwood though and we're excited to get started.”

Having grown up in Kirklees, Dec has witnessed first hand the impact The Kirkwood has had on families across the area over many years. Now, having returned to the region, he wanted to play his part in supporting the charity’s continued work.

Dec said: “I was raised in Kirklees and have known many people who have come through the doors of The Kirkwood throughout my life. Having recently moved back to the area in 2025, I wanted to do my part to help support a local charity that has been doing good in our local community for longer than I've lived. Local charities rely on local people supporting them.”

He added: “It's always been an ambition of mine to run a marathon, and having connected with Beverley Shaw from The Kirkwood in 2025 and joined as a Business Movement member, via my company, Plura Mortgage Advice, when I looked toward 2026, it felt like the right time to take on the challenge and a great opportunity to raise money to help support you guys, and the Kirklees community. I'm proud to be from Huddersfield, and very proud to support The Kirkwood.”

Dec said that while many people are familiar with the hospice’s In-Patient Unit, he has been particularly inspired by the charity’s work out in the heart of the community, supporting people in their own homes through outreach services.

He said: “The Kirkwood is a pillar of the community in Kirklees and has been for a long time. The hospice itself provides great support for patients and families, but what I've come to learn over recent months is just how active The Kirkwood are in the community with outreach services, going into people's homes and providing vital care.”

Dec continued: “Care that would otherwise be hard to receive and expensive, which for many in our community might not be possible without The Kirkwood. It's also a place that brings people together with its events and fundraising activities which in modern times has never been so important.”

As the training miles build up, Dec hopes his fundraising journey will help inspire others to take on a challenge of their own, while making a real difference to the people of Kirklees.

He said: “If you're doing a challenge, it requires effort already. Putting in the extra effort to fundraise for a good cause will not only do good, but it will motivate you, and hold you accountable to attain your goal and complete the challenge because people are rooting for you, and supporting you.”

Dec runs his business from Lepton, Huddersfield, just a few minutes from The Kirkwood. Plura Mortgage Advice offers support across mortgages and protection, with a focus on long term guidance and trusted relationships.

He said: “My Business is a small Local Mortgage Advice company based in Lepton, Huddersfield, just a few minutes up the road from The Kirkwood. We offer advice on mortgages, insurance, Business protection, and Bridging finance. Our goal is to support our clients for life, never just for a single transaction. We want to provide our clients with advice they can trust, for life!”

Dec also praised the impact of being part of The Kirkwood Business Movement, not just for supporting the charity, but for building meaningful connections with other likeminded local businesses.

He added: “Being part of the Business Movement has been great, to meet likeminded people who are experiencing similar challenges to me in a wide variety of industries. It's helped me realise just how close knit the community of Kirklees is, and how many people are keen to support The Kirkwood and our area as a whole.”

Dec finished by highlighting how valuable the network has been since joining: “With over 100 members, I've met some great people, who have already provided me with some valuable support and advice which I would never have had if I hadn't joined the Kirkwood Business Movement.”

With race day approaching, Dec is encouraging supporters across Kirklees and beyond to donate and help him reach his fundraising target, ensuring The Kirkwood can continue providing compassionate care for patients and families when they need it most.

To donate to Dec's fundraising efforts CLICK HERE!