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Marathon mum Maria upsizes to Hailsham home–and receives race boost from the builder

- 22 Aug 19

Marathon runner Maria Stanford is delighted with her spacious new-build home in Hailsham – and extra happy that the housebuilder who built it has sponsored her to compete!

Running enthusiast and mum-of-five Maria upsized to a five-bedroom detached home at Bovis Homes’ Burfield Grange location, on Park Road, with her husband, and number one supporter, Mel.

The grandparents have converted their new shed into a gym and have a reception room dedicated to Maria’s medals.

Bovis Homes were delighted to donate £100 to support her chosen charity, Make-A-Wish UK, and present her with a jacket as she competed in the London Landmarks Half Marathon - and the housebuilder continues to cheer her on.

Maria, who will compete in the Great North Run next month, said moving to her new home, next to The Cuckoo Trail – a 14-mile walking and cycle route - has improved her training no-end.

“I feel so privileged to have moved into our five-bedroom Bovis Homes property and to be right by The Cuckoo Trail,” she said. “It’s right on our doorstep and I can train all the time, it’s been wonderful for my improvement.

“We found Burfield Grange by accident, we loved visiting the area and the nearby beaches and we looked around a show home here and knew this was the house we wanted. We’re so glad we went for a new-build home and the Bovis Homes sales team has been fantastic throughout the process.”

Maria, who started running regularly three years ago, began to get fit by walking and now reaches her target of around 25,000 steps, five days a week. She has competed in 15 half marathons and events including the London Marathon, Thames Path Challenge and Spitfire 10k.

The couple were sold on their property, an Arundel house type, straight away, due to its size, layout, impressive kitchen, library, two en suites, double garage and large garden.

They have five children and four grandchildren, including three-and-a-half-year-old Scarlett who enjoys her own bedroom, riding her bike and playing in the paddling pool when she visits.

Mel said: “This is the perfect home for us in so many ways. The family love to spend weekends with us, they love having their own rooms when they stay and an en suite. And they’re so impressed with Maria’s running!

“Maria is doing so well and raising such a good amount for charity. I love being there to cheer her on and to watch her achieve her goals.”

The Star Wars fans, who moved from East Grinstead where they lived in a three-bedroom house for 11 years, urged others to consider a new-build, which they said had been a blank canvas and perfect for entertaining.

“For us it was all about quality and we made the right decision to choose a Bovis Homes property,” Mel added.