One thousand runners pounded the pavements of Chelmsford last Sunday in support of local children’s hospice care.
This year’s Chelmsford Marathon, sponsored by Beaulieu, took place on 16th October and saw runners from across the county and country crossing the finish in beautiful Central Park, after completing either 13.1 or 26.2 miles through the streets of Chelmsford and the surrounding countryside.
By participating, runners have helped to raise vital funds for Havens Hospices, an Essex-wide charity that provides palliative nursing and supportive care to children and young people living with complex or incurable conditions.
The fastest male of the Chelmsford Marathon Half was Ram Osman from the Colchester Harriers who finished in 1 hour, 13 minutes and 29 seconds.
Dan Kyne was the fastest male who completed the Marathon route in 2 hours, 46 minutes and 31 seconds. The fastest female was Heidi Hogan-Steele in 3 hours and 4 minutes.
Royd Powell and his wife Melanie from Folkstone crossed the half marathon line together as a couple after only getting married the week before in Turkey.
Melanie has previously worked in a children’s hospice west of the country and understands the importance of fundraising for the cause. She said: “Working at a children’s hospice could sometimes be heart-wrenching but it was incredibly rewarding. The event was a fantastic experience and it’s lovely to know we are supporting a wonderful cause.”
Beaulieu kindly sponsored the popular local event again this year and members of staff joined in on the action.
Martin Leach, Managing Director, Strategic Land and Major Projects, Countryside, said: “Havens Hospices is a fantastic local charity that we are so proud to support through Beaulieu’s sponsorship of the Chelmsford Marathon and Half Marathon again this year, raising awareness and much-needed funds for the invaluable care provided for its patients and their families across Essex.
“With a record number of runners taking part this year, we’d like to thank everyone involved for their support and for making the day so memorable.”
Adam Simpson, Director of Project Management and Development at L&Q said: “If the last two years have taught us anything it’s the importance of these outdoor community events, so we are delighted to have sponsored this year’s Chelmsford Marathon and Marathon Half as part of the Beaulieu team. Thank you to all those involved - it has been a brilliant day out for the whole community, whether you’ve joined in, supported the runners, or volunteered.”
Jane Hopkins, Community Engagement Manager at Havens Hospices added, “We are enormously grateful to everyone who turned out to support the Chelmsford Marathon, making it a success and supporting local hospice care.
“This year’s event once again wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our brilliant volunteer marshals, our sponsors at Beaulieu and everybody who took part in both races and raised money for Havens Hospices. A big thank you also to Anytime Fitness in Chelmsford for donating water for free and Organibox for providing fruit to the runners as a much-needed energy boost.
“The money raised will continue to make a real difference to the lives of the children and young people we care for across Essex.”
To find out more about Havens Hospices upcoming running events, follow @HavensEvents on Facebook or visit www.havenshospices.org.uk/events.
For more information about Havens Hospices and how they are ‘Making every day count’ for children and adults across Essex, visit www.havenshospices.org.uk
