UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham made history Sunday by becoming the first serving prime minister to complete the Great North Run, finishing the 13.1-mile race in under two hours to raise funds for a homelessness charity.
Burnham completed the 45th Great North Run from Newcastle to South Shields in 1 hour, 57 minutes and 34 seconds, joining thousands of runners at the annual event.
He ran to raise money and awareness for Changing Lives, a homelessness and housing charity that supports vulnerable people as they work toward stable housing and independent lives.
Burnham’s participation followed a recent visit to the charity’s supported accommodation service in Newcastle, where he met residents and learned about the challenges of rebuilding their lives after rough sleeping.
The prime minister has made tackling homelessness a key priority and said his focus includes providing long-term support through housing, mental health services and personal recovery.
As part of his fundraising effort, Burnham donated 15% of his first month’s prime ministerial salary to Changing Lives.
Before the race, Burnham met Great North Run founder Sir Brendan Foster and joined broadcaster Chris Kamara, Ben Shephard and former footballer Peter Reid.
The event featured a Red Arrows flypast and brought thousands of participants to the North East for one of the world's largest half-marathons.
Burnham’s achievement marked the first time a serving UK prime minister has completed the iconic race.
