Norm's Newport Runners

In memory of Norman Routledge, and to help the charities that gave him so much support this year, we are running the Newport Marathon & 1/2 Marathon on 19th April ‘26.

Running the marathon are Lauren Bearman, Ross Bearman, Jim Davis, Katie Davis, Jamie Easterbrook, Andy Forse, Dominic Gundry-White, James Pilling, Colin Ries & Garry Strickland.

Naomi Davis and Oliver Holder are running the 1/2 marathon.

In addition to the sponsors at the bottom of this page we have received a very generous £500 from Cannon Security, and an equally generous £500 from Katie’s work sponsor Holman; thank you both for your offline donations!

Norman was defined by kindness, empathy and an unwavering belief in doing the right thing by others.

He spent much of his time saving some of Bristol’s most historic buildings, re-opening them for public use when they were at risk of being lost forever. Venues such as Kings Weston House, The Mount Without, The Lamplighters Pub and finally being handed the keys to save Ashton Court Mansion with his team continuing that work from 2026 onwards as his legacy project.

A respected business man he donated so much of his time to help community groups such as Ambition Lawrence Weston and Shirehampton Public Hall. Delivering multiple children’s play parks, a new community building and a low cost supermarket for the area.

Norm was a natural leader — firm when needed, gentle by default, and always guided by people rather than profit. He mentored many along the way, sharing wisdom, encouragement, and the ability to make even the toughest problems feel manageable after a chat over a beer.

Outside of work, Norm was known for his humour, his love for his family, house mates & friends, his passion for golf, racquet sports and skiing — never afraid of a tear at anything heartfelt.

He gave so much of himself to those around him, and that generosity of spirit left a lasting impression on everyone who knew him.

Norm’s legacy lives on in the people he inspired, the values he passed on, and the countless lives he touched. He reminded us all that life, much like golf, doesn’t always go to plan — but it’s a silly game best played with kindness, laughter, and heart.

When Norm was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer there was much uncertainty around treatment options, knowing only that time to make decisions was short.

Pancreatic Cancer UK provided a central point of contact and gave Norm invaluable advice on deciding which route to take, alongside outlining the important steps and who to contact next.

At the point when unfortunately Norms cancer was found to be incurable, St Peter’s Hospice stepped in to provide essential advice on managing his symptoms, guiding family and those close to him through all of the steps needed to care for him at home. St Peter’s Hospice staff visited to provide in-person assessments and prescriptions; their 24hr advice line meant the focus was on caring for Norm knowing that support was always available.

Both Pancreatic Cancer UK and St Peter’s Hospice provided invaluable support alongside the NHS at times of great uncertainty and need for which we are all extremely grateful.

Please help by raising money to enable these great charities to be there for the next person who needs their amazing advice and support.

You are kindly sponsoring us as a team, please appreciate that due to unforeseen circumstances (e.g. injury) some of the team may not be able to complete the challenge on the day and your sponsorship will be forwarded to the charities regardless.