Roy 'would be proud' of 20th Wolverhampton Marathon
The widow of the man behind the Carver Wolverhampton City Marathon says her husband would be proud of the event’s success – as it approaches its 20th anniversary.
Organisers of the Carver Wolverhampton City Marathon have said its founder the late Roy Carver would be ‘proud’ of the event as it approaches its 20th anniversary.
More than 2,000 people are set to pound the city streets on Sunday.
Roy Carver, the former chairman of Carvers Building Supplies, launched the event in 1998 to raise money for St. John Ambulance’ new headquarters in Wolverhampton.
And it has grown and grown ever since with his son Henry Carver carrying on his legacy, overseeing big name sponsors such as Banks’s jumping on board and the addition of new events such as the 20k cycle and walking challenges.
More than £350,000 has been raised for good causes in the event’s two decades.
Organiser and co-founder of the marathon Mary Harding said: “It is exactly what we envisaged it to be in the first place. Roy came to me and said he wanted to put on an event for the city of Wolverhampton which involved everybody.
“And now if you can’t run or ride a bike then come and have a walk.
“We need to keep the event going in the future, it is massive for Wolverhampton. A lot of it hinges on the sponsors because there is a lot of cost.
“Carvers have supported this very, very well over the years. Henry has been so enthusiastic about it.
“Roy’s widow Sheila comes every year and she loves it. She said he would be so proud of it.”
Once again there will be a multitude of endurance challenges kicking off from Connaught Street near West Park on Sunday.
The Cousins 20km cycle and wheelchairs event will be the first to get under way at 9am which is suitable for competitive and fun-seeking participants.
That will be followed by the full 26-mile marathon and 13-mile half-marathon 15 minutes later with everyone from serious athletes to costumed competitors expected to take part.
Among them will be 45-year-old grandfather Stuart Bailey, from Bilbrook, sporting a Peppa Pig costume.
He is running his eighth race and this time raising money for the Royal NHS Charity Trust Wolverhampton after his youngest grandson George was seriously ill and spending his first two months in New Cross Hospital. But now he has recovered and is now doing well.
The children’s mini-marathon begins at 9.25am followed by the Banks’s 10k, getting under way at 9.40am, which is the ideal event for fun-runners as well as those that still want to give themselves a stern test.
For anyone else who wants to get involved but is not looking for anything too strenuous the Callprint ‘Walk in the Park’ around the splendid surroundings of West Park is the event for them starting at 10.15am.
People looking to take part can still register at Carvers on Little’s Lane until tomorrow or do so at an information marquee which will be set up at West Park between 10am and 5pm on Saturday. No-one will be able to register on Sunday.
