Genuine Dining’s Robbie Laidlaw launches London Marathon fundraiser

Robbie Laidlaw, business development director at the Genuine Dining Co., has raised over £4,000 for the British Heart Foundation as he prepares to run the London Marathon next month.

Laidlaw chose to support the charity funding research into heart and circulatory diseases after his young son, Gray, was born with Down syndrome and a congenital heart condition called partial atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD).

AVSD is a condition common in babies with Down syndrome and occurs when there are holes between the right and left chambers of the heart.

Gray will undergo open heart surgery at Royal Brompton Hospital, London, later this year.

Laidlaw and his partner Kiri want to raise awareness of Down syndrome and to champion people with learning disabilities.

“We didn’t know before Gray was born that he had Down syndrome and our focus now is to care for him and support all his developmental and other needs,” said Laidlaw.

“Running the London marathon on April 27th is our way of saying thank you to all the healthcare professionals who have cared for Gray and to raise money for a very deserving charity.

“We also hope to raise awareness about Down syndrome, and dispel some of the myths, so that kids with the condition can attend their local mainstream school and find fulfilling work – living lives free from barriers, and welcomed within society,”

Laidlaw added: “To support Gray and others like him, I’m running to raise money for the British Heart Foundation, who are supporting life-saving research into congenital heart conditions like his. Every step I take is for him — and for every family walking a similar path.”

He has already exceeded his fundraising target of £2,000.

Laidlaw had originally hoped to run a small part of the marathon with Gray in his pram but he will instead be at the start and finish to cheer his dad on.

Laidlaw is no newcomer to fundraising; he received the Special Award at the 2024 Cateys with Chris Mitchell, chief executive of Genuine Dining Co., for their “truly Herculean effort” in completing the "world’s toughest row".

The pair raised over £300,000 for Hospitality Action during their 3,000 mile journey across the Atlantic. The 38-day row saw the pair survive blistering heat, hallucinations and a capsizing boat.

They were competing against some 40 other boats and finished fifth overall. Most boats had crews of three, four or five and Laidlaw and Mitchell came first in the pairs category. 

Click here to donate to Laidlaw’s charity run.