Sawston Fun Run

Entries are now accepted for the 27th April event

Entries are now accepted for one of the largest community-led charity events in the region - the Sawston Fun Run and Walk - to be held on Sunday 27th April. Entry forms are available from branches of the event’s sponsor Cambridge Building Society; the reception office at Sawston Village College, the OWL Café, Sawston and off the website www.sawstonfunrun.co.uk

The organisers, the Rotary Club of Sawston District, aim to raise £15,000 and are introducing additional features to attract even more people to support the event.

 The four major beneficiaries this year will be:

• Cambridge Cancer Help Centre Unit - to help fund the new counselling and support centre being built in Great Shelford at Scotsdales Garden Centre.
• Addenbrookes Prostate Cancer Unit - to help purchase key equipment to fight this disease.
• Magpas - to help buy specialist medical equipment for roadside accidents.
• Teenage Cancer Trust - to help fund the new 12 bed teenage cancer unit to be built at Addenbrookes Hospital - adding to the £5,000 already donated from the 2005 event.

Other organisations to benefit will be:

• 1st Sawston Scouts - to purchase camping equipment for the scouts cubs and beavers.
• Sawston Youth Drama - to purchase modern sound equipment.
• Sawston Youth Group - to help purchase equipment for the Duke of Edinburgh Awards. 
• South Cambs. Riding for the Disabled - to pay for the hire of ponies for one year.
• Pippins Pre-school - to help with the development of outdoor facilities.

Over the last twenty-two years the event has donated more than £283,000 to local charities and organisations in Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire that help a wide cross section of the  community - hospitals, hospices, youth groups, the elderly, the sick and those in need.

David Morris, President of the Rotary Club of Sawston District, said ‘We organise the event because it’s clear the community enjoys this annual opportunity to come together to have some fun and to raise funds for local causes. It also allows us to fulfil our part by making it happen and knowing that it helps so many different local groups.’

Entry fees are £4.00 for school years 1-11 and £7.00 for adults of seventeen and over as at 27th April. Closing date for postal entries is 21st April. By entering early people will have longer to get sponsorship so the organisers are appealing for entrants to get their application forms now.

In addition to the main sponsor Cambridge Building Society, the event is receiving support from  Excell Ltd; Haart Estate Agents; Spicers Ltd; Vindis Sawston, Webb & Partners, solicitors; Sawston Parish Council and Sawston Village College as well as NST Travel, the Marshall Group and Waitrose who have donated major prizes for the raffle.

Organisations are welcomed to contact Rotarian Tony Collett, chairman of the organising committee on 01223 893447 to find out about further opportunities to be involved.                                    

Further Information:
Tony Collett, Chairman of the Organising Committee,
Rotary Club of Sawston District
23 Meadow Walk, Great Abington, Cambridge CB21 6AZ
Tel: 01223 893447 mobile: 07748032302   email: tony.collett@virgin.net

Notes to editors:

• Normally 900 entrants are attracted to the 4.8 mile event held at Sawston Village College.
• The course is flat and covers most of the major residential areas of Sawston - the winners complete the course in about 27 minutes and the walkers in 1hour 10minutes.
• Entry fees on the day will cost £5.00 and £10.00 respectively.
• The website www.sawstonfunrun.co.uk provides route details, training tips as well as the entry form and charity information and the names of advertisers.
• The Rotary Club Sawston of District has organised the event since 2001.
• Cambridge Building Society has sponsored the event since 1986 and over 200 retailers and businesses contribute in some form to the event.
• Rotary is the international organisation of over 28,000 clubs in 155 countries with over 1.2 million members who meet to enjoy fellowship and to provide service to others. In Great Britain there are 1,834 clubs with over 59,000 members.