Although he has had no direct involvement in livestock since he left home for Oxford University in 1991, Jonathan Lane will be taking on the London Marathon on behalf of RBST – and he is looking to boost his sponsorship support.

You can support Jonathan via his fundraising page – Running for Rare Breeds

Jonathan is the son of long-time RBST supporters Anne and John Lane and it’s thanks to his sister, Fiona Steel, that he applied for the RBST place on the marathon. Anne Lane explains: “It’s a case of look what your family can land you into! Jonathan, who lives in the USA, took up marathon running just over five years ago and for the last three had been trying for a place in London. Fiona saw that RBST was running a draw for a place in the marathon and contacted her brother to suggest he tried for it – and he got the place.” 

Working as a research scientist for Praxair in the US, Jonathan has no access to land for livestock but, as Anne says “farming and rare breeds must be buried in his genetic make-up”. His maternal grandparents ran a traditional mixed farm near Appleby in Cumbria the family would visit Appleby Castle, owned by Denis Vernon, one of the founders of RBST. With paternal grandparents living near Cotswold Farm Park, that was another frequently visited venue. Mum Anne read agriculture at university and went on to teach biology, always being most interested in livestock and genetics. When, after a joint 56 years in teaching, Anne and John bought five acres of land, their livestock keeping “exploded”.

The Lane family interest and involvement continues to pass through the generations, and John’s daughter 14-year old Catherine plans to become a vet. Anne says: “Catherine has two cats, a dog and other small animals but also owns a small flock of North Ronaldsay sheep which live with us. Progress reports have to be sent regularly regarding their wellbeing and she chooses their names when the time comes for registering them in the Combined Flock Book. She is a member of RBST and looks forward to receiving copies of The Ark.”

No doubt the Lane family will be there to cheer Jonathan on when he crosses the start line on April 28. He has set a fundraising target of £1,000 but hopes that with the support of RBST supporters, he can exceed that.

You can support Jonathan via his fundraising page – Running for Rare Breeds