Springhill Hospice returns as official charity for Williams BMW Rochdale Half Marathon, 10K and Fun Run

Barbara Lloyd, Springy and Councillor Janet Emsley

Springhill Hospice will be the official charity for Williams BMW Rochdale Half Marathon, 10K and Fun Run on Sunday 8 October.

The Rochdale-based charity provides care for people with life-limiting illnesses. The cost of running the hospice is more than £3 million per year, with 70% of running costs needing to come from within the local community through events, charity shops, lottery, legacies and donations.

With more than 250 runners already registered for places, we are encouraging those registered, and everyone yet to sign-up, to consider running in aid of a good cause.

Lillie Winterbottom, Community Fundraiser at Springhill Hospice said: “We are thrilled to be the official charity again. Last year was an amazing day. We are tremendously grateful for the support that we receive from local people and this is a wonderful opportunity to add to our 2017 fundraising efforts. Springy, our hospice mascot will be there to cheer everyone along. We will also offer help and support for anyone who is thinking of raising money for the hospice. Email fundraising@springhill.org.uk or phone 01706 641790 and ask for Barbara or Lillie.”

Councillor Janet Emsley, Rochdale Borough Council Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, Community and Culture, said: “One in two people in the UK will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives and I’m very pleased we have Springhill Hospice on board with us again this year. We are encouraging more people to come forward and run for charity, so please do sign up for a race if you haven’t already. We will be working with Springhill Hospice to raise awareness and funds for the charity. Whether it’s our one mile fun run, 10K or the half marathon, by running for charity we all have the potential to raise vital cash for some really deserving causes. Every pound will make a difference and entrants are welcome to run for Springhill Hospice or another charity of their choice.”

If you plan to enter any of the races or have already done so you can easily set up a web page to collect your donations to Springhill Hospice or another charity via websites.

Councillor Emsley added: “You always notice the extra encouragement charity runners get from our crowds. And if you decide to run for charity it can provide huge motivation during the training. The idea that you're helping people more vulnerable than yourself or supporting a worthwhile service can put a little extra petrol in your engine for that challenging last kilometre!!”

On Sunday 8 October runners will set off from Rochdale Town Hall across new traffic-free courses taking in town and countryside, including a stunning section around Hollingworth Lake. The half marathon leaves the town hall along the Esplanade and runs the edge of Broadfield Park, before heading through to the Rochdale Canal at Oldham Road Basin. The route then heads past Kingsway Business Park and Smithy Bridge along the canal. Close to the Waterside Restaurant the route leaves the tow path and heads up Hollingworth Road towards Hollingworth Lake, making a clockwise loop of the lake. It then returns down Hollingworth Road and back on to the canal. The race retraces its outward route from the town hall until it reaches Broadfield Park, where runners will go through the park before re-joining The Esplanade for the final sprint to the finish line.

The 10K follows the same route as the half marathon on to the canal, but leaves the canal at the swing bridge at Kingsway Business Park, making a loop of pleasant cycleways, before returning to the canal and the same finishing route as the half marathon.