Hundreds take part in annual charity run to honor three generations of families killed in terror attack

The eighth staging of the Run For Joel attracted people of all ages who took part in events of varying lengths for the Smile for Joel Charity, which supports bereaved people across the UK.

The charity was set up following the terrorist attack in Tunisia in June 2015, when 38 tourists were killed, including Wednesbury teenager Joel Richards, his uncle Adrian and grandfather Pat.

Joel’s younger brother Owen survived the attack and he and his mother Suzy Richards founded Smile for Joel to support other families torn apart by crime and violence.

Sunday’s event, hosted by the BBC’s Daz Hale, raised £5,790 for the charity and many people who did all the races wore wristbands from each which are being offered in lieu of medals.

In addition to the 3k and 5k runs, there was also a color explosion start, meaning runners were sprinkled with colored powders, which created vibrant visuals.

The charity teamed up with the government last year to help keep British tourists safe when traveling abroad.

In February, Suzy received an MBE for services to homicide bereavement from the Princess Royal.

She was at the Sandwell Valley event with former Albion and Aston Villa footballer Marc Albrighton whose mother-in-law also died in the attack.

She said: “So many people turned out again, it was great, lots of people sporting wristbands from previous races and again it turned out to be a great family occasion.

“We moved the event to June because of the significance of the anniversary and next year will be 10 years since the tragedy happened.

“We have something special planned for that anniversary, which will be a wing walk, but I’d just like to say thank you to everyone who came out to the run and continue to support the charity which supports bereaved families across the UK and raises the of safety awareness abroad when traveling. .”

Marc Albrighton said he was proud to support the charity and the annual event as it was a cause close to his and his family’s heart.

He said: “I was delighted to be here today and to support the work that Suzy and the team are doing on behalf of all the victims of the attack and bereaved families across the UK.”