The thousands of participants in the classic London Marathon (Flora London Marathon) on Sunday 13 April included Amnouy Wetwithan and Ekkachai Janthon, both aged 23. Both disabled, and both from the orphanage of Pattaya in Thailand, they completed the traditional 42.195 km course of the marathon in wheelchairs to collect funds and help finance a new school aimed in particular at young disabled women, also in the Pattaya area. At the present time only 20% of the students of the school are women, due to the lack of suitable accommodation and courses. The school may accept up to a maximum of 200 students, most of them from poor families, offering them courses in computer skills, economics, English and electronics. But there are a hundred or so other applicants that cannot register each year due to lack of funds. Hitherto, the school of Pattaya, annexed to the orphanage founded by the Catholic missionary Ray Brennan in 1970, has turned out over 2000 graduates, and almost all have found permanent and well-paid work.
