Organisers of annual Leamington 10k run announce new date in hope that event will go ahead
A much-loved annual run that raises thousands of pounds for the Leamington community has announced a new date for this year's event.
By Oliver Williams
The Wright Hassall Leamington Regency 10K Run, which is entering its 18th year, is taking place on Sunday, 19 September at 9am.
Organisers of the race, the Leamington Round Table, made the decision to move the event to later in the year to enable the race to go ahead - should it be deemed safe to do so by government.
It comes after the race was postponed for the first time last year in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, yet saw around 90 per cent of entrants and some business sponsors donating their fee to charity rather than requesting a refund - raising around £15,000 for the community in the process.
The last Wright Hassall Leamington Regency 10K Run took place in 2019.
Hundreds of fitness enthusiasts had already signed up within a week of entries opening for this year, and Race Director, Harpal Singh, is calling on beginners and seasoned runners to help them smash their target of signing up 2,500 runners.
Harpal, who is also Chairman of Leamington Round Table, said: "The money raised from the Wright Hassall Regency Run makes a life-changing ripple effect throughout Leamington's community all year round, so we are delighted to be able to open entries for this year's run amid all of the uncertainty caused by the pandemic.
"If the event is cancelled due to Covid like last year, then we will again be offering entrants the choice of donating their fee to a charitable cause or receiving a refund.
"The fact that we managed to raise £15,000 for community causes last year because the vast majority of runners decided not to request a refund underlines both the generosity of people in the town, and just how loved this event is, and we are really grateful for this gesture.
"Since the run began in 2004 we have managed to distribute more than £350,000 of money to charitable causes, and between now and race day we will be highlighting how people's money is continuing to make a difference to community projects in the town.
"Those that turn up on race day aren't just doing it for their own health and wellbeing, they're also making a difference to someone else's life, and we'd love to be able to hit our target of 2,500 runners this year."
Leading Midlands law firm Wright Hassall, which is based on Olympus Avenue in Leamington, is once again making a substantial contribution to the running costs of this year's race.
Sarah Perry, Managing Partner at Wright Hassall, added: "As a firm we are celebrating our 175th anniversary this year, and we'd love to mark it by helping the Leamington Round Table to set a new record for the biggest number of race entrants.
"Exercise has been one of the key tools in helping people to cope with the pandemic, and we'd echo Leamington Round Table's calls for as many people as possible to keep that momentum up and enter this year's race."
For more information about this year's Wright Hassall Leamington Regency 10K Run, visit www.regency10k.co.uk