The streets of Manchester were alive with energy and excitement as the Great Manchester Run 2024 took place on Sunday, May 26th. Among the thousands of participants were 60 dedicated runners representing We Love MCR Charity!
For the third year in a row, we hosted our highly anticipated VIP Experience, where we make the event as easy as possible for our fundraisers on the day – we offer free run places, facilities so they can avoid long porta-loo queues, with secure storage and plenty of much needed refreshments.
However this time, our VIP Experience had a new and exciting home – the Generator in St. Peter's Square, a newly-launched business startup and workspace hub. The change of location proved to be a resounding success, with participants staying long after they returned from their runs to soak in the atmosphere, music, and refreshments with fellow fundraisers.
This year's event was also held in collaboration with our partners at Manchester Active, further showing their commitment to encourage and inspire Mancunians to move more each day. The brilliant Manchester Active team on the day went out with 200 We Love MCR Charity stickers and came back with none!
The VIP Experience kicked off bright and early at 07:30 with a pre-race gathering at the Generator, which buzzed with excitement as participants prepared to take on their 10K and half-marathon challenges. On registration, we also gave out stylish branded sweatbands to every runner to show off their support while they took on the challenge!
Among the sea of runners were representatives from many of our corporate partners and friends, including Manchester City Council, Softcat PLC, JMW, Space & Time, Manchester Law Society, Quay Street Productions, Manchester Trainee Solicitors Group, NG Bailey, and Knights. Incredible support on display from Manchester’s diverse business community for We Love MCR Charity’s work!
Reanna Taylor, from NG Bailey, said the following about the experience:
“Race day dawned seamlessly. The charity hosts greeted us with warmth, handling bag drops, registrations, and race packs. As we sipped our welcome brews and enjoyed queue-free, pristine restrooms, the excitement built. A short walk to the start line left us stress-free and ready to run—a race that would not only challenge our legs but also deliver countless smiles.”
We can announce that the total funds raised came £12,500+ and counting! Thank you so much to every single one of our fundraising participants!
Every runner's effort was commendable and worthwhile, with everyone who hit their target raising a minimum of £150 – an amount that can be (and has been many times) equivalent to one of the awards granted through our Rising Stars Fund to ambitious young Mancunians experiencing disadvantage. These sums, despite seeming small, can quite literally change lives, so every bit truly counts when it comes to our amazing fundraisers efforts.
One participant however did stand out as the top fundraiser of the day… Heather Irving from Downing who raised an incredible £1,265! Another stand-out participant was Daniel Hudson, from JMW, who was our first-returning half-marathon runner, clocking in at an eye-watering 1hr and 27mins.
Simon Wright, Head of We Love MCR Charity, said:
"We are overwhelmed by the support and generosity of all our runners and their sponsors, the £12,500 raised will go directly to our work empowering positive change in Manchester's communities and young people."
As the runners crossed the finish line, they were greeted by a jubilant crowd of supporters cheering them on. The VIP Experience at the Generator became a hub of post-race celebrations, with runners and their loved ones sharing stories, exchanging high-fives, and basking in the glory of their achievements. Plenty of We Love MCR Charity merch was handed out too!
The success of our VIP Experience at Great Manchester Run 2024 was a testament to the power of community and the spirit of Manchester, that quite literally runs through all of us involved at this charity – from staff, to trustees, to our partners fundraisers.
Our efforts, in collaboration with Manchester Active, have once again brought together individuals from all walks of life, united in their commitment to making a positive difference in the city that means so much to us all. We hope to have even more of you joining us next year!
For advance notice of all We Love MCR events and news, subscribe to our monthly newsletter at www.welovemcrcharity.org
Event gallery:
Commentaires