Why Run for Charity?
Charities rely on the donations and support of the community and they really appreciate those who take it upon themselves to raise a little extra money by running or walking for charity.
Organising your own charity run or event can be quite daunting and take up a lot time planning and organising the day, but there are usually charity events and races for charities throughout the year that are available for the public to take part in. Searching online for charity events in and around your local area is a great place to start; and, not only will you be raising money for a good cause, you’re also likely to meet new people with shared interests at these events. If you’re still keen on organising your own fundraising event, have a look at our “holding your own event” page.
If you’re thinking about taking up running this year to raise money for your favourite charity and you’re new to running, the best way of getting back into shape is to start with jogging or a "Couch to 5k programme". It’s always best to speak to a health professional before starting any new strenuous exercise regime. Waking up early for a quick jog around your local park or neighbourhood every few days, then slowly increasing the length of your jog, will help to quickly build up your stamina. Signing up for a charity race, whether it be a 5K fun run or a half marathon can be a daunting process, but if you’re determined to raise money having a goal to work towards can be a great tool for motivation. Once you’ve committed yourself to taking part in a particular organised walk or run for charity you can start to think about getting sponsored.
We have a whole section on Running and Challenging Events for Charity which is worth checking out for inspiration.
Charity Run
The main goal of running for charity is to raise awareness and support for a charity of your choice. Sponsorship is one way of raising money for your cause and you can ask family, friends and colleagues to sponsor you to take part in a charity event. There is no minimum or maximum amount of money that can be raised for a charity or cause, as every penny will be greatly appreciated; although there may be a sign-up fee to take part in a pre-organised charity event, which is worth bearing in mind. If you’re taking part in a sponsored run for charity, there are plenty of online resources that you can use to keep track of everyone who has signed up to sponsor you. Organisation will help to make things run as smoothly as possible and allow you to quickly count up and collect the money that your sponsors have said that they will pay you, if you successfully complete the race, walk or event. In fact we have a range of fundraising online resources for those who are running or walking to raise money for Alder Hey.
There are many charities to run for and Alder Hey have a range of events taking place every couple of weeks so it’s worth visiting the website to check if there are any events near you that you could take take part in.