Road races raise £25,000 for Kettering's Cransley Hospice

Sunday (September 16) saw the return of the popular race series, with 10km and half-marathon races and 2.3km distances for juniors.

Sponsorship money is still pouring in and it will be a while before the final amount raised is known, but early indications suggest that more than £25,000 has been raised

Shelley Green, events manager for Cransley Hospice, said: “The Road Races are always one of the most popular events in our calendar but I’m always amazed by how it gets better every year.

“I want to say a huge thank you to all of the runners, supporters and sponsors who have made the 2018 event such a big success.

“We’ve raised a record-breaking amount this year, with more local runners than ever turning out to show their support of Cransley Hospice.”

Anticipation for the races was high with the first runner signing up back in January and undertaking months of training.

Novices were attracted by the picturesque route and supportive atmosphere.

Elite runners benefited from the introduction of chip-timing for the first time and the half-marathon route was selected for the Northamptonshire Athletics Association County Championships.

Cransley Hospice thanked volunteers and corporate sponsors who made the event possible, including Western Power Distribution who generously covered all of the running costs of the event, meaning that every single penny raised from ticket sales and sponsorship will go towards the care and support of local people at the end of their lives in north Northamptonshire.

As a pinnacle event in the Cransley Hospice calendar, the charity says the Road Races will definitely be back for 2019.

Runners have been encouraged to keep checking www.cransleyhospice.org.uk and to follow Cransley Hospice Trust on Facebook for the latest event updates.