G-A-Y owner Jeremy Joseph to run London Marathon in aid of the Elton John AIDS Foundation
By Will Stroude
The owner of legendary nightclub chain G-A-Y is set to run the London Marathon this year to help the ongoing fight against HIV and AIDS.
Jeremy Joseph will undertake the epic 26-mile run for and eighth consecutive year this Sunday (April 23) to help raise money for the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
The UK gay scene stalwart, who owns venues in both London and Manchester, has a colossal fundraising target of £1 million for the life-changing organisation, and he and his staff have already raised mammoth £433,822.92 ahead of this year’s race.
Joseph, who hopes to raise awareness about HIV and sexual health as well as money, previously told Attitude that the friends he lost to the virus during the height of the AIDS crisis continue to inspire him to run.
“I lost many friends to it. I remember one particular friend who I lost… to watch someone deteriorate is the most horrific thing,” he recalled.
“In a way, that person sort of saved my life because when I saw what was happening to him I thought, ‘Not in a million years will I ever have unsafe sex, because I don’t want that to happen to me’.
“But that’s why it’s so important now to keep raising that awareness, because a so many people don’t have that personal experience these days.”
Coverage of the 37th London Marathon kicks off at 9.55am this Sunday April 23 on BBC One.
You can sponsor Jeremy and help the G-A-Y team support the life-changing work of the Elton John AIDS Foundation here.
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