It was run so well !
By Anya Beadsmoore:
On Friday the 26th of June, it was a beautiful sunny evening in West Hallam where we held our 5k Memorial Run at the wonderful Nutbrook Cricket Hall. We had around 30 brave soldiers who went out during the heatwave to get sweaty and boost their endorphins! But don’t worry- some sneaky shortcuts were provided as well as the option to walk so everybody was safe and having fun.
The run started with a warm-up from our amazing volunteer Julie, special thank you to her! Before we knew it our runners were off on their stunning journey around Straws Bridge and its surrounding areas. I was happy to stand near the entrance to the cricket hall and welcome runners back into the grounds as they edged towards the finish line. Seeing everyone so happy and on such a dopamine high as they passed me, all the while drenched in sweat was truly inspiring and honestly made me really want to join in! Every single person looked so accomplished no matter their speed, or whether they were running/walking alone or with a loved one.
I personally was also in the kitchen during this event alongside our amazing volunteer Henry who is a hot dog master! We served up some lovely sandwiches and hotdogs for our athletes after their hard work. It was so special to see everyone’s relieved and happy faces when they came to get their post-run treats, and wholesome interactions were shared- it was a truly supportive atmosphere and reinforced why we do what we do.
Throughout the event, we were able to collect extra donations from our supporters, and encouraged them to take part in the tombola- all while they relaxed in the sun and listened to some iconic summer beats from our DJ. I even had a sneaky go on the tombola and managed to win myself a paint by numbers kit-which I cannot wait to use!
All in all, this was such a wonderful day and such a success! Everyone seemed to have a smile on their face, and I had so much fun helping out. Big thank you to our trustee Helen Chambers and super supporter Chris Chambers for organising this event.
