Liverpool family run London Marathon in memory of stab victim
It's to raise money for kits designed to quickly provide life-saving support after an attack
The family of a Crosby man murdered in a knife attack are running 26 miles to raise funds for projects to help save attack victims.
Laura Hughes set up In Memory of Colin McGinty, a #kNOwknifecrime initiative to educate young people on the impact knife crime can have after the death of her brother, Colin McGinty in 2001.
She's run in dozens of races to raise funds and awareness but today will face the London Marathon.
Laura said, “In 2019 on what would’ve been Colin’s 40th birthday year, my three surviving brothers and I decided to run the Liverpool Rock n Roll half marathon in Colin’s memory.
"We had no prior running experience and once the word got out, we went from four of us to almost 100 of us in that first race, all proudly wearing t-shirts with Colin’s face on the front.
“We were supposed to take part in April 2020, having trained for six months for the event. Due to COVID it was postponed to later in the year, which we trained for again and now it’s been moved for the third time. It’s been pretty tough training three times!
"Over the last two years, the running team have raised over £20,000 in Colin’s memory which with the support of Radio City charity Cash4Kids, has funded knife crime awareness projects across Merseyside, Lancashire and Manchester."
The family will be running in a blue heart costume designed by local school children after a competition during anti-knife crime workshops. The winning mascot was designed by pupils from Broadgreen Primary School.
The team hopes that the mascot will stand out at the race and boost their fundraising efforts.
Laura added, “Deaths due to knife crime have increased by 36% since 2011. If our fundraising efforts and KnifeSaver bleed control packs can help save lives and spare what our family went through when Colin was taken from us, our blisters and sore legs will be worth every step.”
To donate to the In Memory of Colin McGinty team fund visit www.inmemoryofcolinmcginty.com