Frimley Park Hospital charity 10km run opens for entries

FRIMLEY Park Hospital Charity is limbering up for its biggest fundraising event of the year – the 10k road race and 2.5k fun run. 

The annual race day on Sunday May 5 which starts and finishes at the hospital in Portsmouth Road, Frimley, is in its eighth year and has become a feature of the community calendar. 

Last year more than 1,200 people took part raising a record breaking £65,000 for the hospital's Saving Tiny Lives appeal.

The charity is now urging people to sign up via its website and take part in the races which offer something for everyone. The 10k road race around the streets of Frimley and Camberley is professionally chip timed and offers an excellent short run for seasoned runners and those wanting to get in shape for the summer. The 2.5k fun run is aimed at children and families.

Everyone taking part gets a medal and there are prizes for the fastest runners in a wide range of age categories. Fancy dress plays a big part, especially in the fun run, with prizes awarded in categories such as 'most heroic' and 'least practical'.

Assistant fundraising manager Nick Le Resche said: "The road race and fun run is one of the highlights of the year at Frimley Park with a great mix of serious running, personal challenges and family fun. It's a great day for the community and raises so much money to help us save and improve local lives. I'm always touched by how much support there is for the hospital and our amazing doctors and nurses who work tirelessly to care for sick and vulnerable people."

Support for the event comes in all shapes and sizes. Last year, alongside some of the more serious runners, many entrants dressed up. Elvis and the Mario Brothers lined up against nurses, medics, rabbits and gorillas in the fun run with police officers chasing escaped convicts in the 10km race.

This year participants will have the opportunity to continue raising money for the Saving Tiny Lives appeal, which is buying a range of extra equipment for the Frimley Park Special Care Bay Unit when it moves to a bigger ward later this year, or for the Frimley Park Hospital Charity as a whole. The Saving Tiny Lives appeal has already raised £110,000 to help the 600 or so premature and poorly babies born at Frimley every year.

Nick added: "We hear some truly inspirational stories from people taking part – they really do go the extra mile for us. It would be amazing if we could top last year's total. Please put the date in your diaries and check our website for more details. You can register online and create a fundraising page in just 10 minutes, with registration and sponsorship forms also available to download."

At previous events Frimley Park has received generous sponsorship from local companies and organisations which has helped cover costs and meant runners' entry fees and individual sponsorship from family and friends has gone directly to the charity.

"That makes a big difference to us", said Nick. "If any organisation is interested in a sponsorship opportunity this year, please get in touch to discuss how we may join forces for mutual benefit."

Sponsorship has already helped provide bespoke medals for all 2013 runners and chip timing for all 10km racers. Entrance fees for the event are £15 for the longer race and £6 for the fun run, which is also open to younger children.

All the hospital charity's fundraising activities raise money for equipment or services at Frimley Park over and above the normal expectations of an NHS hospital.