An Armagh family are gearing up to take part in the Bupa Great North Run next month, all in the name of charity. 

The six brothers and one sister will run the half marathon in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne on Sunday October 1 and all money raised will go to charity CRY - Cardiac Risk in the Young. 

The Nicholson family are no strangers to the athletic scene as brothers Matthew, Mark and Paul ran the Addidas Silverstone Half Marathon in March in memory of royal School student John McCall, who died from a rare heart condition two years ago. 

The family are raising sponsorship and awareness of CRY and all money raised will go to a fund wishing to set up a permanent screening facility so that sporting clubs can being their young athletes to have them screened for heart abnormalities and defects. 

Every week eight seemingly fit and healthy people die in the UK from an undiagnosed heart condition and CRY works to raise awareness of Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS). 

Matthew, his brother Same and the rest of the family will travel over to Newcastle on Saturday, September 30, and they are all looking forward to the challenge. 

"This is the first marathon I will have run," said Sam Nicholson. 

"But I am really looking forward to taking part and I hope that people will pledge money to this important charity." 

People can make donations and sponsor the group by visiting www.justgiving.com/cashforcry and make the family's hard-work worthwhile.  Using this website will also allow the charity to gain an extra 28 per cent back on all donations. 

All donations are very welcome towards Matthew's other marathons which he is set to run in throughout October, including the Nike 10k in London on October 8, the Great South Run in Portsmouth on October 22, and the Dublin Marathon on October 31.  He aims to continue to raise awareness and sponsorship for CRY.