Great charitable day for the northern runners

Manchester Reform congregant Rosemary Taylor hopes to raise £3,000 for the Medical Foundation, helping torture victims, from her participation. The retired midwife had never run until she was 55. In the 10 years since, she has raised more than £20,000 for a range of charities including Jewish Women's Aid.

"This year we had our names printed on our fronts, so many of the crowd shouted: 'Well done Rosemary. Keep it up.'"

Lucy Barnett, Debra Dennison, Ian Lachs and Jeremy Libbert were among those running for Manchester's Federation of Jewish Services.

"I wanted to run for the community," Ms Barnett said. "I think it has been harder for people to give money this year but what we've raised could pay for a family to benefit from a Fed project for a year."

PhD student Michael Kay raised nearly £800 for the world aid charity, Tzedek, running with three other Jewish students who travelled from Leeds University. Among them was Katie Newman, who brought in £425. The money will support education for Indian children with HIV.

"I'm pleased to be reaching out to the poorest communities in the world through Jewish values," Mr Kay said.

Cheadle GP Rachel Stone earned more than £800 for the Meningitis Research Foundation.

Her son Rafi contracted meningitis and she pointed out: "This is a horrible disease that can strike at any time and has taken so many young lives. I am so lucky that my son survived meningitis, but other families are not so lucky."