Mark Yearby running for Sophie Lancaster Foundation

I will be running the Birmingham half marathon for the Sophie Lancaster Foundation. Sophie and her boyfriend were viciously attacked as they walked home in 2007, by a number of males in their mid-teens while walking through their local park As a result of her severe head injuries she went into a coma, never regained consciousness, and died thirteen days later. The police said the attack may have been provoked by the couple's wearing gothic fashion and being members of the goth subculture. Sophie's mother pointed out "It is seen as an isolated incident, maybe the seriousness of what happened to Sophie is isolated, but attacks are far from isolated. Just because you follow a different culture you are targeted; you are seen as easy pickings".
As a legacy, the Sophie Lancaster Foundation was set up. Its aims are: The aims and objectives of the Charity are as follows:

To create a lasting legacy to Sophie.
To provide educational group-works that will challenge the prejudice and intolerance towards people from alternative subcultures.
To campaign to have the UK Hate Crime legislation extended to include people from ?alternative subcultures? or ?Lifestyle and Dress

Please help by donating as much as you can afford. The target I've set is a modest one but hopefully we can exceed it.

By supporting this charity, you can help them continue their work to educate people and try to get similar attacks classed as a hate crime.