Jersey man born with one fully formed limb takes on London Marathon

  • Report by ITV Channel's Alex Spiceley


A man from Jersey is running the virtual London Marathon next month, despite only being born with one fully formed limb.

Stuart Penn is taking on the 26.2-mile challenge to raise money for the island's Employment Trust, a charity that helps people with disabilities thrive in the workplace.

Stuart is running the London Marathon to raise money for charity. Credit: ITV Channel TV

He says walking and running have always been a challenge.

Stuart explained: "I was born in 1978 with two limbs missing and my left leg has got a load of bones missing out of it and I've got a small club foot that's basically like walking on a fist, is how to describe it."

Prosthetic Credit: ITV CHANNEL TV

"But growing up my parents very much were always saying 'you can do it, there's no such word as can't, you've just got to find a different way of doing it'."

Every penny that is donated will go to the Jersey Employment Trust and then onto social firms like Acorn, to help provide workplace training.

22/09/22 Credit: ITV CHANNEL TV

Steve Pearce from the Jersey Employment Trust explained: "One of the first things you quite often get asked when you're at a social occasion after your name is what's your job and it has a massive impact on people's lives, what you do on a day - so we can make a huge difference and people really value the work that we do here."

It is not just money Stuart wants to raise.

He added: "I want to raise awareness of the challenges people with disabilities have but also what they can do and achieve just like anyone else."

Stuart will run the London Marathon virtually in Jersey on Sunday 2 October.