A volunteer from homelessness charity Emmaus Mossley has completed the Manchester Marathon in support of the charity and has smashed his fundraising target.
Emmaus Mossley supports people who have experienced homelessness by providing them with a home, companionship, tailored support and work opportunities.
After months of training, Stalybridge resident Matthew Farrington-Farnsworth took on his first ever marathon on Sunday 27 April, completing the Manchester Marathon course in a time of 4 hours 30 minutes.
Commenting on his achievement, Matt said: “The Manchester Marathon was the experience of a lifetime, for sure. After a certain point, it was all about what I was doing it for that kept me going. I’m so grateful for all the generosity shown by people who donated – it really spurred me on.
“Emmaus Mossley is a charity that is close to mine and my husband's heart. It has been a part of our lives for 20 years. It’s a great charity and the people supported by Emmaus work so hard to keep it going – they definitely deserve something.”
Matt has so far raised more than £1k for Emmaus Mossley, double his original fundraising target.
The funds will go towards ongoing work to overhaul and refurbish Emmaus Mossley’s community kitchen and dining room.
The charity is home to 26 people at any one time, with each person supported to build their confidence, self-esteem, skills and work experience to achieve their goals.
There are currently 29 Emmaus communities across the country, supporting more than 850 people in the UK.
Alison Hill, CEO of Emmaus Mossley, said: “We’re all in awe of Matt’s dedication and very kind support, not just his marathon fundraising efforts but also through his weekly volunteering within our Second-hand Superstore. On behalf of everyone at Emmaus Mossley, I would like to give huge thanks to Matt for this great achievement and thank everyone who has donated to his fundraiser.
Emmaus Mossley is currently appealing for people to walk, run, cycle, swim, or move any way they like, to cover at least 26.2 miles during May.
The Emmaus Big Marathon Month is a fundraising challenge that is open to individuals, friends, families and teams.
All funds raised will go towards the next phase of Emmaus Mossley’s community kitchen and dining room refurbishment.
To sign up to the Emmaus Big Marathon Month, visit: https://emmaus.org.uk/event/big-marathon-month-2025/
To find out more and support Emmaus Mossley, visit https://emmaus.org.uk/mossley/
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