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06 Jul 2021

CALL FOR MARATHON RUNNERS TO PUT IN THE MILES IN CHELMSFORD TO SUPPORT LOCAL HOSPICE CHARITY


The Chelmsford Marathon sponsored by Beaulieu will return for its seventh year in October in aid of Havens Hospices with the new addition of a half marathon route.


This year’s popular event will take place on Sunday 17th October 2021 after the charity was forced to postpone last year’s race due to the Coronavirus pandemic.


The event will be managed by race management company Nice Work, but the event will still be raising vital funds for Havens Hospices, an Essex wide charity that provides palliative nursing and supportive care to children and adults living with complex or incurable conditions.


The popular Essex running event has an exciting new addition this year of a half marathon option, for those wanting to run a shorter route. Both the 26.2 mile and 13 mile routes will take runners from the start line at Shire Hall at the top of Chelmsford High Street, out through the surrounding countryside and pretty villages of Essex and then across the finish line in Central Park.


Havens Hospices is thrilled to announce that Beaulieu, the new neighbourhood by Countryside and L&Q in Chelmsford, is once again sponsoring the event. Beaulieu first sponsored the Chelmsford Marathon in 2015, in support of J’s Hospice who are now part of Havens Hospices. It is hoped that staff members and residents from Beaulieu will be running on the day in support of the charity.


Martin Leach, Managing Director, Strategic Land, Countryside says: “We are delighted that Beaulieu is once again sponsoring this year’s Chelmsford Marathon and Chelmsford Marathon Half in support of the vital care that Havens Hospices provides across Essex. We’re also looking forward to entering a team of runners made up of Countryside staff and residents from Beaulieu to help raise much needed funds to ensure Havens Hospices can continue to be there to support adults, young people and children with complex or incurable conditions.


“We’d encourage any keen runners to sign up to take part in the Chelmsford Marathon and Chelmsford Marathon Half, raise some money and make a difference.”


Jane Hopkins, Area Team Leader at Havens Hospices is looking forward to this year’s event after a tough year of fundraising for the charity which had to cancel and postpone all its usual public fundraising events last year.


She said, “These past 15 months have been very different for Havens Hospices as we have tried to adapt our services around the pandemic. As demand for our care increased, we experienced on average a decrease of around 34% in our fundraising income. We are really excited for this upcoming fundraiser – which will be one of our first mass participation events since the Coronavirus outbreak - with the exciting addition of a half marathon route, so we can continue to raise vital funds for our hospice care across Essex.


“We can’t wait to be there on the day cheering everyone on and showing our support. So for those looking to set themselves a new challenge this summer why not make it the Chelmsford Marathon or Chelmsford Marathon Half? This is one of the biggest events in the Essex race calendar and usually attracts over 1,000 participants each year. Every mile will be truly ‘Making every day count’ for every child, young person, adult and family we care for across Essex.”


Online registration is now open for the Chelmsford Marathon and the Chelmsford Marathon Half route. To sign up please visit www.havenshospices.org.uk/chelmsfordmarathon


To find out more about Havens Hospices and how they are ‘Making every day count’ for children and adults across Essex, visit www.havenshospices.org.uk.