Now in its 16th year, the event has raised more than £440,000 for good causes. Birketts have set a target this year to raise £25,000 to secure the future of hospice care in South East Essex.
Birketts’ Race4Business, which attracts thousands of participants each year, is aimed at encouraging businesses from across the county and beyond to enter teams or support individual employees to take part, although it is open to the public as well. The date of this year’s event was recently announced as Thursday 26 June and registration for the run will open in March.
The race founder Richard Wollaston, who is a consultant at Birketts and who will be running for the 16th time, said: “I’m extremely pleased to announce that Havens Hospices will be benefitting from the proceeds and I urge as many people as possible to make this year the best ever and help us achieve our target.”
Richard added: “The run has grown out of all recognition from its early years and is now a major event in the Chelmsford calendar. We very much encourage anyone to enter, whether they are experienced runners, first timers or old timers and whether they want to run, jog or walk.”
Havens Hospices cares for adults and children who have been diagnosed with a life-limiting illness by offering respite breaks, managing pain and symptoms and caring for children and adults at the end of their lives. It currently runs Fair Havens, an adult hospice in Southend and Little Havens the children’s hospice near Rayleigh as well as caring for people in their own home through its Community Hospice Service. Together these services cost £100,000 each week to operate.
Tanya King of Havens Hospices spoke of the announcement: “We are delighted that we have been chosen as this year’s charity partner. Because our care is free of charge, our hospices can only exist because of the support and generosity of the community. The money raised will help us to be there for families in need of our specialist care, now and in the future.”
The course of the race is mainly flat, and takes participants from the High Street, through West Park and Admiral’s Park and finishes at Birketts’ offices on New London Road. The event is open to people of all abilities with each runner being given an individual timing chip to ensure accurate results.
Image: Richard Wollaston of Birketts and Tanya King from Havens Hospices get set for this year’s Race4Business
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