Widow of Jane Tomlinson urges people to "be kind" after people send cruel messages following Run For All postponement

Run For All’s Mike Tomlinson and Clarion Partner Roger Hutton officially launch the 2018 Leeds 10K Clarion Corporate Challenge. Picture Tony Johnson

The Run For All events, part of the Jane Tomlinson Appeal, have been postponed across the country due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Leeds Half Marathon and Leeds 10k were the latest events to be postponed, with the news announced on Thursday, Friday 10.

This is due to the "ever-changing landscape, increase in COVID cases and the implementation of local lockdowns" in West Yorkshire, the charity said.

2019 start of the Leeds Run For All 10k race. Picture Simon Dewhurst Photography.

Jane's husband, Mike Tomlinson, who continues his late wife's fundraising efforts, thanked people for their patience but urged others who have sent "vitriolic" messages to staff to "be kind".

Mr Tomlinson said: "As you may now be aware the whole of the 2020 Run For All season has been postponed to 2021.

"Many thanks for the patience you have shown during the summer; we do understand that you have entered events, trained for them, arranged work, travel and accommodation to facilitate taking part.

"When arranging events of this nature, it is a fine line over when to make a decision to postpone and I wanted to give you the background as to the decision-making process.

"Run For All was started in 2005. My wife Jane, at 36, was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer and took part in a series of endurance challenges culminating in an IronMan and cycling across the USA to raise money so others in the future wouldn’t die young like herself.

"Run For All was to be the vehicle where we could continue to raise as much money for as many Charities as possible after her death. She died in 2007.

"I am acutely aware that every penny we lose comes directly from the Charity.

"The closer to the event we postpone the more charity money we lose.

"So we have been making decisions 2 months out as this has allowed us to do all we can to get the event on without wasting too much money.

He added: "It is impossible to make decisions that everyone will agree with and it is fair to say there have been some vitriolic communications to the team, please try and be kind.

"Fifty per cent of the staff have lost their jobs and like everyone they just wanted to put on events and raise money for good causes.

"We started the year by buying in the medals for the 2020 events early so we wouldn’t be caught out with Brexit, those medals (dated 2020 obviously) subsequently will now be that extra special when you receive them next year.

"The team and I sincerely hope we will get to hand them out for the first time on 28th March in Sheffield.

"Until then our best wishes and we hope and your family stay fit and healthy."

The charity was started by Leeds woman Jane Tomlinson after she was diagnosed with incurable breast cancer aged just 36.

The mum-of-three was given just six months to live but defied her diagnosis, raising more than £1.85million for charity over the next seven years.

The Jane Tomlinson appeal and its Run For All events has raised over £10million to date.