Over the Christmas and New Year festive period Aldridge Councillor John Murray and his wife Jane will each be running 25 kilometres (15.5 miles) to raise funds for the James Brindley Foundation. They plan to complete five different organised parkruns, each of which covers 5 kilometres, including one on Christmas Day and one on New Year's Day.

The James Brindley foundation is a charity which aims to educate young people about knife crime and the dangers of carrying a bladed weapon. The charity was set up on 2 November 2018 by Mark and Beverley Brindley whose son James was the victim of a senseless attack which ended his life in June 2017 at the age of 26. Mark and Beverley believe that all young people at risk of offending are capable of positive change and can achieve their full potential when offered a safe and supportive environment where they can comfortably discuss their experiences. The James Brindley Foundation exists to provide those environments. The James Brindley Foundation will work to reach as many vulnerable young people throughout the United Kingdom as possible. It can only do this with your help and kind donations.

Please give whatever you can to support this very worthy cause. Even if just one young person turns away from knife crime or just one person is saved from becoming a victim then it will all have been worthwhile.

John and Jane Murray