Express & Star

Wolverhampton Half Marathon raises £15k for good causes

A grand total of £15,000 was raised at this year's Wolverhampton Half Marathon event – and organisers have proudly handed over the cheque to the city's mayor.

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And there's off! The half marathon begins. All pictures: Tim Thursfield

More than 2,000 runners and cyclists hit the streets of Wolverhampton in September for the Carver Half Marathon events.

The event, in its 22nd year, has given thousands of club athletes a run for their money and helped thousands more first-time runners to get fit and achieve a worthy goal.

At the same time the race has raised more than £400,000 to help local charities and voluntary organisations since it started in 1998.

This year organisers were proud to announce they had raised £15,000 which will go towards four charities – Compton Care, Scouts Wolverhampton East, PDSA, and Radio Wulfrun.

WOLVERHAMPTON NEWS EXPRESS & STAR ( JOHN SAMBROOKS) 02/12/2019..The Mayor of Wolverhampton, Councillor Claire Darke, Deputy Mayor, Councillor Greg Brackenridge. Mary Harding and Henry Carver, present cheques to charities from the proceeds of this years Wolverhampton Half Marathon........................................................................................................................................................................................................ .............................

Organiser Mary Harding said she was thrilled.

"This event is wonderful for the community and people in Wolverhampton," she said. "When you look at how many people it has helped, and all the people it will help, it's absolutely brilliant that we get so many raising this money for us."

Alongside the half-marathon this year, there was a relay for teams of four over the same distance, a 10k run, plus 20k and 10k cycle and wheelchair events, and also a children’s mini marathon, a short run for under-14 year olds.

The event has adapted over the years to meet changing demand, with the marathon distance being dropped last year due to falling numbers but an additional race, the Paycare half-marathon relay, introduced for 2019.

The new feature is designed to attract people who find the full distance too difficult, and prefer to take part in a team.