Run4Fun raises over £5k for Colchester charities

A selection of Colchester charities will receive a share of £5k as a result of an emergency dash round Colchester Castle Park earlier this year at Run4Fun 2010.

The annual Run4Fun, now in its ninth year, took place on 9 September with an emergency 999 fancy dress theme to raise money for the Mayor of Colchester’s chosen charities.

Sponsorship money from the hundreds of runners who took part in the 2.5 mile course has been collected and counted. And on Wednesday evening (10 November) event organisers Birkett Long LLP handed over a cheque for £5,115 to Colchester Mayor, Cllr Sonia Lewis, at a quiz evening at Colchester Town Hall.

The money will benefit charities including the Army Benevolent Fund, Essex Air Ambulance and the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Jennie Skingsley, Run4Fun Co-ordinator at Birkett Long, said: “We were thrilled with the amount of money raised and the number of people who took part. We would like to say a big thank you to everyone who came along, from the runners, the marshals, and those who watched and cheered the runners on. This is an important event for the community and the firm. And we’re always delighted at the response, which over the years has meant we’ve contributed more than £65,500 to local Colchester charities.”

Prizes for best outfit and fastest runner added some healthy competition to the day, with the fastest male, Lawrence Riches from Scrutton Bland in Colchester, flying round the course in less than thirteen minutes while Becky McCorquodale from Harwich Runners took the title of fastest female completing the run in just over 15 minutes.

Ben Disney, aged 12 and running with Wood & Disney, topped the table of the 12 and under category, crossing the finish line in 15 minutes and 20 seconds. Accountants, Scrutton Bland, also scooped the fastest team prize.

The top costume awards were claimed by John Hall from Essex Wildlife Trust and Rowan Hopkins aged 3 from Colchester.

For more information on next year’s run visit www.birkettlong.co.uk/run4fun and sign up to the mailing list or call 01206 217605.