Duo’s path run for good cause

Joe Sinclair, 44, and his wife Rachael know Northumberland well with family links and that influenced the challenge of Joe and friend Joe Williams (Team Run Joe Joe Run!) running the Northumberland Coast Path over six days, starting on Monday.

They will be running in aid of Dementia UK as Rachael lost her grandma and Joe lost his nan to dementia over the last couple of years – Rachel’s grandma being Margaret Edna Short, known as Edna, who was the first Freewoman of Berwick-upon-Tweed.

The 62-mile stretch of beautiful coastline runs between Cresswell and Berwick and if all goes to plan, the two Joes will finish the run on Saturday, August 21 at the end of Berwick Pier.

Joe Sinclair, who lives in the Coventry area, said: “Rachel grew up in Cramlington and with the Berwick link through her grandparents, we have been to Northumberland many times so it made sense to choose the Northumberland Coast Path for the challenge.

“I’m looking forward to seeing so many fantastic sights in one go and it will be great for Joe (Williams), who doesn’t know the area well.

“We bubbled in the Covid lockdowns so we could run together when rules permitted. Doing so has really helped our mental health, as well as our physical health.

“We’ve done the distances that we will be doing per day before, but the challenge will be successfully doing them every day for six days.

“The great support we’ve had means that we’ve already raised more than £2,000 and hopefully the donations will keep on coming over the next couple of weeks. Donate at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/runjoejoerun”

Joe Sinclair and Rachael will be staying in Northumberland after the run because Rachael’s mother, 71-year-old Edna Oliver, is getting married at Shotton Grange, near Cramlington.