Carver Wolverhampton City Marathon: Charities benefit from fundraising effort
It took blood, sweat and tears – and that was before the Carver Wolverhampton City Marathon even got under way.
But the organisers of the annual fundraiser this week enjoyed the sweetest moment of the whole 12-month process – giving out the cash.
The charities benefitting were Sunnyside Kennels in Coven which takes in 3,200 stray dogs a year, and needs to raise £2 million annually to provide food and shelter for the animals.
Compton Hospice, in Wolverhampton, now in its 35th year helping to care for the terminally ill in the city, and Samaritans Wolverhampton, which depends entirely on hand-outs to run its city base, also took a share along with the mayoral charities.
The four recipients were given a share of the total £16,000 raised from the September race which is to be renamed after main sponsor Carver announced on Monday it would be scrapping the 26.2 mile full marathon event.
Some 2,000 runners and cyclists take part in the day which also includes a 10K run, 20K cycle and a half-marathon.
It is hoped to increase the number of entrants in these categories by 1,000 over the next couple of years
The presentation was an opportunity to thank all those who spend countless hours behind the scenes to stage the event, not least Mary Harding, president of Wolverhampton & Bilston Athletics Club. She, in turn, paid tribute to the dozens of enthusiastic volunteers who help process the entries, line the route and staff the tents on the day.
Wolverhampton brewery Banks's and Black Country-based furniture store Cousins were also thanked for their sponsorship.
Deputy mayor Councillor Phil Page said: "There is always a high number of spectators and competitors in West Park, and it takes a magnificent effort to make that happen."
Henry Carver, managing director of main sponsor Carver Building Supplies, praised the city's mayor Councillor Elias Mattu for his attendance on the day despite being clearly unwell.
