RAF Lossiemouth fireman James Johnston wants to give struggling Moray families a better Christmas by running more than two marathons in two days to raise money
AN RAF Lossiemouth fireman wants to spread some festive joy to struggling families this Christmas.
James Johnston, the cousin of an Olympian and Commonwealth Games gold medallist, is determined to make a difference for people in his adopted home area by taking on a gruelling physical challenge.
The 28-year-old, who was posted to the Moray airbase from Carlisle almost four years, has fallen in love with Lossie and so has his family.
The keen runner, and footballer with his local Lossiemouth United junior club, decided the warm welcome he has been given by his coastal community deserved to be repaid.
And with Christmas being a time when many families are under pressure to give the best for their kids, a goodwill gesture could go a long way towards putting something special under the Christmas tree.
So the 28-year-old serviceman decided to don his running shoes for a huge fundraising effort this week.
Starting at noon on Friday, James will run five miles every five hours and complete 11 runs over a 48 hour period, totalling 55 miles which equates to more than two marathons in a two day period.
“One hundred per cent of all money raised will go to buying presents and making sure that as many children as possible have something to open this Christmas,” he said.
“I put a tagline on the bottom of my fundraising page. It says ‘helping one person may not change the world, but it could change the world for one person’.
“I don’t know where I found that but that has been my mentality at the start and I’m delighted that it is having this impact. It is quite humbling if I'm being honest.
“I’m surprised how well it’s done already. I didn’t think in a million years that I would get that much.”
He was on the brink of reaching his £1000 target on Tuesday, three days before the challenge begins.
James loves nothing better than spending time with his two nieces and two nephews on their visits to Moray, and it hurts him to think that children of a similar age to them may not get much this Christmas.
“I’m aware of the concept of the naughty and nice thing at Christmas. The thought of any child feeling like they were on the same naughty list due to not getting too much, I thought it was a bit heart-breaking really.
“Likewise, the thought of any parents or family struggling - which a lot are with Christmas coming along - there’s a pressure to feel like you’ve got to keep up with other families and other issues that come with that for adults. It’s something I wanted to help people avoid.
“My own nieces and nephews love coming up here for a little holiday.
“I look at them and imagine what it’s like for children not getting the gifts they want. I wouldn’t want them to feel like they were doing something wrong if their parents or family weren’t in a position to give them what their peers at school have had.”
James will chart his charity efforts on a GPS app this weekend, and release details for any families in need who could benefit from the cash he raises to get in touch anonymously.
“I want to guarantee anonymity and I also want to arrange drop off points at friends’ houses or community areas, basically to avoid that undue feeling of shame or awkwardness associated with receiving gifts.”
If he does not receive enough worthy causes, James will donate any remaining funds to local appeals to ensure that the money finds the right people.
James’ cousin is Daniel Awde, who competed for Team GB at two Olympic Games in Beijing and London, and won a gold medal at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in the 4 x 400 metres relay.
He now works as a stuntman, doing work for action movies like James Bond’s No Time to Die, Captain America: The First Avenger and The King’s Man.
“I suppose it’s kind of in my family, although we have all been living in Daniel’s shadow.
“All of my family has been getting behind me with encouragement and donations. I’ve spoke to Daniel about it, and I’m not sure what he would say to me doing this.
James’ job of firefighting, surrounded by super fit colleagues, and his football matches and twice-weekly training with Lossiemouth United ensures that he stays in good shape and will tackle this week’s runs with relish.
“I feel through the football team that I’ve already got quite a good involvement with the community through all the local lads here and the supporters we get coming down,” he added.
“It’s so common for guys to get posted up here with the RAF and they end up leaving the service and staying in Moray.
“I love it around here and my family absolutely love coming up. I’m sure they wish that I would be posted up here forever.
“I love the area and I think it would be lovely to be able to give something back to the community that I feel have welcomed me so well.
“I think it will help a lot of people, which is the thing that has driven me on. If I can make a difference to anyone, to me it has paid off.”
