Running the marathon in aid of the My WiSH Every Heart Matters appeal
Runners will be pounding the footpaths and narrow country lanes next month in a bid to help boost the funds of the My WiSH Every Heart Matters appeal.
So far just under 700 have registered for the St Edmundsbury Running Festival, at the Skyliner Sports Centre, on the Moreton Hall Estate, in Bury St Edmunds, with organisers hoping that up to 1,000 will be taking the starter’s gun, which is being fired at 9am, on Sunday, October 29.
It features the Abbeycroft Leisure Marathon, the St Eds’ Half Marathon, the Knights Lowe 10k and the St Eds’ family fun run.
The half marathon’s route, which begins at the sports centre, will send runners on a circuit through the estate to Rushbrooke, then on to Little Whelnetham, Bradfield St George, Rougham and back to the sports centre. The full marathon will be two circuits.
Up to 80 per cent of the runners are set to take part in the 10k and half marathon with 15 per cent doing the marathon and five per cent the fun run, said Jack Tappin, director of the festival’s organisers HaverSports.
With entry fees costing from between £28 for the marathon down to £8 for the fun run proceeds will be split between the appeal and the Bury Town Pastors and Mr Tappin was hopeful of raising £2,000 for each charity. Runners are also being encouraged to fundraise for the appeal.
The My WiSH Every Heart Matters Appeal is hoping to raise £500,000 to build a brand new heart unit at the West Suffolk Hospital, in Bury St Edmunds.
The West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust is investing £5.2m in developing a state of the art cardiac suite that will provide quicker access to more treatments, but the £500,000 My WiSH is hoping to raise will lead to the whole unit, which is currently fragmented on different floors, being brought together in one purpose-built centre.
If you would like to get involved in any way log onto the website for further details: www.mywishcharity.co.uk
If you would like to donate to the Every Heart Matters Appeal you can do so by going to Justgiving.com/ehma or text EHMA17 £10 to 70070