County Group accountant raises funds for MIND at Great Manchester Run

A trainee accountant put his best foot forward to raise cash and awareness of mental health issues.

Joel Faun took part in his first Great Manchester Run and has raised almost £1,000 for MIND, the British charity campaigning to end the stigma surrounding mental health issues.

The 22-year-old, who works for insurance specialists The County Group in Crewe, ran the half marathon with his sister Lydia Faun, 27, and with sponsorship monies still pouring in through their JustGiving page they hope to hit a £1000 target.

He said: “I’ve always loved sport but this was a new challenge and was thrilled Lydia and I made the finish line together.

“We ran together, staying side by side as much as possible in the huge crowd of runners, and finished in two hours, one minute and 48 seconds!

“It’s such a good cause and in my lifetime I have seen attitudes towards mental health change. It’s in the news now, helped by Prince William and the ‘young royals’ raising awareness.

“Colleagues at County have been amazing with their encouragement and really generous with their sponsorship.”

Joel and his sister trained together for the 13.1 mile challenge.

He added: “Neither of us were long-distance runners.

“Over the past few months, we have both seen the benefits of taking time out of our busy schedules and away from our screens to focus on ourselves.

“Running has provided us the opportunity to switch off mentally, more so than we would ordinarily do.

“Nowadays it’s really helpful to have apps available on your phone that will record your progress from the start of your training to the end.

“Really, if running just a few miles raises lots of money for a good cause, then it’s worth getting out there and doing it.”

To add more to Joel’s total go to his JustGiving page.