Eddy Ainley lines up just 14 months after major knee surgery to raise funds for financial literacy charity Money Ready
A chartered financial planner is lacing up his running shoes for the Manchester Marathon – just over a year after surgery to repair the main ligaments in his left knee.
Eddy Ainley, 28, ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and medial meniscus while playing hooker for fourth-tier rugby league side Siddal, near Halifax, West Yorkshire. The injury required surgery in February 2025, leaving him struggling to walk for months.
Yet on Sunday, April 19, Ainley will stand on the start line of one of the UK’s biggest road races, running in aid of Money Ready, a charity dedicated to improving financial literacy across the country.
From the operating table to the start line
After his operation, Ainley, who lives in Salford Quays, Greater Manchester, and works at Depledge Strategic Wealth Management in nearby Trafford Park, made the bold decision to enter the marathon as a recovery target.
“I wanted the challenge and to set myself a goal after surgery,” he said.
“It was a bad injury. Three or four months after the op, I was really struggling to walk, let alone run. I was very doubtful whether I’d ever be on the Manchester Marathon start line, but I stuck to the recovery plan, and the following six months of training have gone well.”
UK struggling with financial literacy
Ainley’s choice of charity reflects his professional convictions. Only 8.6% of the UK population received advice on investments, pensions or retirement planning in the past year, according to a 2025 Financial Conduct Authority survey. A separate 2025 study by the London Foundation of Banking & Finance found that just 32.6% of the UK population is financially literate, compared to 49.8% in Canada and 55.8% in Hong Kong.
“As you’d expect from a financial planner, I’m doing this to support Money Ready, which helps people to become financially literate — people who might not otherwise have access to financial planning expertise,” said Ainley, a Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI) certified financial planner.
“We’re not trying to turn everyone into investment experts. Our goal, and the goal of the Money Ready charity, is simply to help get everyone to a good level of understanding on things like saving, budgeting, and other important financial areas.”
Charity CEO backs Eddy’s effort
Leon Ward, CEO of Money Ready, praised Ainley’s commitment to the cause. “We are hugely grateful to Eddy for choosing to support Money Ready through such a tremendous challenge,” he said. “Taking on the Manchester Marathon is no small feat, and every one of those miles represents a step forward for financial education.
“The funds Eddy raises will go directly towards helping more people build the financial fluency they need to thrive. We wish Eddy the very best on April 19th, and we’ll all be cheering him on.”
Support Eddy’s run for Money Ready here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/edward-ainley-1?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=CL&utm_campaign=020
Firm’s founder takes the plunge for charity
Ainley is not the only one at Depledge Strategic Wealth Management taking on a physical challenge for a good cause. The firm, one of just 52 CISI-accredited independent financial planning firms in the country, was founded by Andrew Day, 54, who is preparing for his own fundraiser.
On June 20, Day plans to swim the 5.25-mile length of Coniston Water in the Lake District to raise money for Lifeshare, the Manchester-based homeless charity.
