Charity fundraisers taking part in Great Run events this year collectively raised the incredible sum of almost £54 million for good causes in 2016.
Research by The Great Run Company shows that participants in the 23 Great Run events across the UK have raised an estimated £53,945,246 with nearly half of that figure - a staggering £26,332,773 alone - raised in the Great North Run in September.
With more than 200,000 finishers across a range of events from Glasgow to Portsmouth, almost a third of participants were raising money for charity, with an average of around £300 raised per runner.
The total was unveiled by the Great Run Company at the St Mary’s Heritage Centre in Gateshead, a short distance from the iconic Tyne Bridge, which participants cross in the early stages of the Great North Run.
The amount was based on an estimate following post-event questionnaires across the events and representatives from eight invited charities benefiting from funds raised by Great Run participants were in attendance at the event.
The figure is expected to be even higher in 2017 with the addition of two new marathons in Stirling and Birmingham, alongside a range of events in Aberdeen and the introduction of a half marathon in Manchester.
“Charity participants are the lifeblood of our events and we’re delighted to see such a magnificent amount of money raised for good causes in 2016,” said Great Run Company group chief executive Mark Hollinshead.
“It is heartening to see that there is so much good will among our running community and it has been humbling to meet some of the charities to learn first hand how they are putting those funds to good use.”
The European Athletics Quality Road Race standards act as an assurance for road runners throughout Europe. They distinguish between races that respect the standards and those that haven’t sought certification or assessment. They form the foundation of Running for All, a strong recognisable brand for running activities throughout Europe.
More information on Running for All:
Website: european-running4all.org
Twitter: @runningforall
Contact: running4all@european-athletics.org