Kind readers back The News's fundraiser for the homeless

The initiative was the idea of Joanne Vines, founder of the city’s Rucksack Project, and is being backed by The News.

To help boost support for Joanne’s effort, The News’s editorial team have pledged to run a relay race around the lake at 1000 Lakeside, North Harbour, covering the equivalent distance of a marathon.

And generous readers have been showing their support for our Running For The Bus event, with £300 of the £1,000 target already having been raised – and a £1,000 cheque having also been sent in from an anonymous benefactor.

The backing has delighted the editor of The News, Mark Waldron, who said: ‘Portsmouth is once again showing its generosity and we couldn’t be more thankful.

‘The plights faced by the city’s most vulnerable residents is something that touches all the team here. Over the past few months we have reported on the homelessness problems in Portsmouth and we want to carry on playing our part helping.

‘So, please, continue to dig deep to help this latest fantastic project.’

The fundraiser follows on from The News’s Show Them You Care This Christmas campaign. Dozens of readers donated clothing, sleeping bags and food.

To help the latest appeal, see justgiving.com/crowdfunding/TheNews-runningforthebus