A 15-YEAR-OLD who ran 5k every day in February to raise money for a York child bereavement charity was cheered along his final run by Haxby and Wigginton residents who helped him raise £5,507.

Residents lined the route of Jonny Cole’s final daily 5k of a total 140km (87 miles), which he ran through wind, snow, ice, hail, rain - and finally sun, to raise cash to help raise funds for Bereaved Children Support York.

His efforts attracted the attention of former Triathlon World Champion Jonny Brownlee, former Olympic athlete Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill and BBC football commentator Guy Mowbray, who all tweeted their best wishes. Brownlee called Jonny’s accomplishment “very impressive,” Ennis-Hill hailed Jonny as an “incredible young man,” and Mowbray tweeted: “Keep it up Jonny lad!!”

After completing his final run in 24 minutes on Sunday (February 28) Jonny, from Wigginton, said: “I feel good. There were pockets of people cheering and clapping all the way round, which I didn’t expect. One person even had a sign with Go Jonny! on it. It was totally unexpected and really nice. I’m amazed at how much people have contributed. Now it’s finally finished I’m going to have a long lie down.”

Two friends who play alongside Jonny at local team Wigginton Grasshoppers FC accompanied him on his last run. “It was a great boost at the end… it really helped. In fact, everyone’s support has been fantastic. I’m really grateful,” Jonny said. Wigginton Grasshoppers FC also contributed £400 to Jonny’s total.

Jonny, a pupil at Joseph Rowntree School, lost his dad Neil to a heart attack when he was eight. Mum Jo set up Bereaved Children Support York when she realised there was no local group to help her or Jonny negotiate the grief of their sudden loss. Since 2016 the charity has helped more than 200 children from across Yorkshire. It offers much-needed counselling to bereaved children in York as well as group sessions and social activities for families from all over Yorkshire.

Jo, 46, said: “I’m immensely proud of Jonny, as are other members of Bereaved Children Support York. They would have liked to have been here to celebrate Jonny’s last run but they can’t because of lockdown. But quite a few of them are doing 5k on their own where they are. They were setting off at 1pm, as Jonny did, and running, cycling or whatever so they’re joining him in spirit.”

Pre-lockdown, Bereaved Children Support York ran drop-in peer support sessions as well as social trips and activities for children and their parents. It is now trying to bring people together online and in limited numbers face-to-face, and employs four bereavement counsellors on a sessional basis.

To make a donation, visit Jonny’s Just-Giving page.