Welcome to the Bungay Marathon
THIS YEAR'S RACE WILL BE ON SUNDAY 18TH APRIL 2010
How to enter the race - click here
In 2009, the Bungay Black Dog Marathon smashed its fundraising record with a remarkable £11,155 for charity, bringing good news for those campaigning to prevent cruelty to children. The NSPCC was the chosen charity for this year's proceeds, and there were delighted cheers and applause as race committee chairman Roly Shaw unveiled the cheque and the amount at the annual meeting of the North Suffolk branch of the NSPCC at Fritton Lake on Monday evening.
The Black Dog Running Club's marathon race committee linked with the charity's Bungay fundraising committee, whose secretary Terry Reeve helped to reveal the amount and said it was beyond the committee's wildest dreams.
The significance of the huge donation was immediately put into context by one of the charity's top national officials, John Cameron, head of the NSPCC Helpline. “The amount of £11,000 means we can help 500 families - for every mile that the marathon was run you were helping 25 families,” he told the meeting, which included 20 members of the club and race committee. “That is the real difference you can make to children - it helps us to develop and direct the service.” The money raised by the marathon will aid the charity's work in the local area, and Lord Tollemache, Lord Lieutenant of Suffolk and patron of the North Suffolk branch of the NSPCC, added his thanks. He said in North Suffolk alone in the past year 1000 neighbours had taken the trouble to call the national helpline after becoming concerned about the plight of children near them.
Mr Shaw said the cheque was the largest donation the running club had ever been able to make to any organisation as a result of the marathon, “and it is an example of the high esteem in which the NSPCC is held locally and nationally in the work that you do.” He said the club had started a junior section in the last few months, demonstrating its interest in young people and their development and welfare.
Mr Reeve said the huge donation really would make a difference to the lives of children under threat of cruelty and the running club had come up trumps in support of that. He said the team of 30 helpers the Bungay committee provided in support of the day, on April 19, had thoroughly enjoyed taking part, but it was the hard work of the club and race committee over 12 months, and their expertise built up over 27 years of running the marathon that had made the magnificent result possible. “Thank you on behalf of the Bungay committee and all of us here - and especially on behalf of the children it will help the charity to protect,” he said. The annual meeting was followed by a buffet reception.
Support for the marathon this year, which helped to achieve the record, came from main sponsors M and H Plastics of Beccles, Norwich and Peterborough Building Society, and Essex and Suffolk Water. Other sponsors included Toucan Tool Hire of Norwich, Paperclip (East Anglia), NCS, Bungay Town Trust, Bungay Chamber of Trade, Sanderling Internet and Bungay and District Sports Association.
Sponsorship from runners brought in nearly £2000 of the total, with Sue Potter of Beccles raising £635, Ruth Bee of Beccles £354, Mark Cox of Diss £193, Mark Jones of Beccles £155, Bill Gerrish and Samuel Richardson, both of Halesworth £135 each, Laura Devereux £90, Caroline Benett from the West Midlands £59 and Nicholas Elvin of Halesworth £30.
If anyone would like to help or would like more information please email robinafarrar@aol.com
The Marathon site is sponsored by Sanderling Internet who are proud to be responsible for the Bungay Suffolk website
