Lagan Valley MLA gets ready to move it for Mencap

Lagan Valley MLA, Robbie Butler pictured along with local councillor Nicholas Trimble as they prepare to take part in the 2018 Deep RiverRock Belfast City Marathon.

Robbie Butler, MLA for Lagan Valley, plans to swap his suit for runners this May as he will participate in the Deep RiverRock Belfast City Marathon in aid of Mencap Northern Ireland, the race's official charity partner.

Robbie, alongside Nicholas Trimble and Tim Mitchell, local councillors from Lisburn and Castlereagh Council, will take on the popular Team Relay event next month.

“Taking on the Team Relay Race will certainly be a challenge for me. From my visits to the Mencap Children’s Centre I was privileged to see first-hand the support the centre provides and how the money raised through this partnership helps both adults and children with learning disabilities across Northern Ireland,” he said.

“As a member of the All Party Group on Learning Disability, I am focused on working with Mencap on important issues that individuals with a learning disability face across Northern Ireland including the unequal access to mental health services. From speaking with service users they confirmed that Mencap makes a fantastic contribution to the lives of people with a learning disability.”