Teacher takes on Spanish Marathon to help save Salford homeless charity

A teacher is preparing to run a marathon in Spain in support of a Salford homelessness charity.

Billy McCrindle, 52, will be running the annual Valencia Marathon in December to raise money for Emmaus Salford.

The charity, which provides housing, support and training opportunities to those who have experienced homelessness, faces an uncertain future after being told its building lease will not be renewed.

For more than two decades, Emmaus Salford has been based on Fitzwaren Street in Weaste, where the charity says more than 775 people have been given vital support to move on from homelessness.

McCrindle is jetting off to Valencia, located on the Mediterranean coast of eastern Spain, to run in one of the world’s leading road races to raise funds for Emmaus to secure a new base.

Renowned for its flat course with minimal elevation gain, the Valencia Marathon is one of the fastest in the world.

McCrindle is aiming to complete the marathon in three hours and thirty minutes. The seasoned runner has been training four days a week and hopes the excitement of the race will help him push through injuries picked up from previous Manchester Marathons.

He stressed the importance of raising money to find the Salford-based homeless charity a new location:

“It’s critical Emmaus Salford has a home. The charity gets people off the streets, gets them a home, gets them support, gets them back into employment and gets people back into life in everyday society. Having stability is your number one. If you lose that, then where do you go?”

During his time as a teacher Billy has referred several people to Emmaus Salford for support, including one student who was sleeping in his own car while he worked and studied for a degree.

“When I come into Manchester, I see more homeless people than ever before. We are living in 2025, not archaia. We shouldn’t be in a place where people are on the street. That motivation for fundraising for Emmaus Salford and that is what will give me that push.”

McCrindle says this will be his last ever marathon and hopes to sign off in style on the continent. More information about his fundraiser can be found here.