A BIG HEARTED bunch of Redditch lads are pulling on heavy duty chainsaw trousers to run a half marathon in memory of a much loved colleague.
Ex-military veteran Chris Lane died at the weekend and his co-workers at tree surgeons Acorn Environmental Management Group on Moons Moat felt they had to do something in his memory.
They hit upon running a half marathon, and, this being Mental Health Week, all funds raised will go to the Mental Health Foundation.
On Justgiving they wrote: “Yesterday we were informed of the devastating news that our colleague and friend Chris Lane had lost his fight with mental illness.
“Whilst we were aware Chris suffered we were unaware of how bad things really were.
“This week is Mental Health Awareness Week. In the wake of Chris’ passing we feel it is right to raise awareness for mental illness.
“If doing a half marathon without any form of training wasn’t going to be challenging enough we have decided we are going to be completing this stretch in our chainsaw trousers.
“Chris was loved by all of us at Acorn, He was a big part of our team and although he will be missed his memory will live on.”
Daniel Wallace, a work colleague of Chris’s said: “Initially I thought only three or four of us would be running but now there’s 17, which is quite something.
“Chris was a lovely guy and we are all a tight knit bunch. I haven’t done any running since leaving school so I think there’ll be quite a lot of us struggling to get round.”
He added that one tree company has already donated £1,000 to their cause while management at Acorn had also made a major donation and were helping Chris’s family.
The Mental Health Foundation is a charity that focuses on the prevention of poor mental health.
The run is this Friday, May 14 from Acorn’s headquarters on Eagle Road and then around Redditch.
To contribute to Acorn’s fundraising target, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/runforchrislane
