Charity of the year
CANCER RESEARCH UK
This has been a tough year for many of us, but it’s been incredibly tough for charities. Without us running the races we’d signed up for, so many charities lost their funding lifelines. Many had to fold completely. To counter the effects of a worryingly empty calendar, many events organised virtual races to raise funds for those charities, and so many of us have still been able to raise money for organisations close to our hearts. You voted in your droves for Cancer Research UK. Cancer, sadly, looms large in pretty much all of our lives, and the vital work Cancer Research does in funding research and campaigning for awareness, is something we are all keen to support. Through the brilliant Race for Life, many of us have run our first 5Ks in memory of friends or relatives, or in support of those living with cancer, and in doing so have developed a life-long love of running. Please continue to run and to raise funds for this important charity. We also wanted to make a special mention of Mind, which came a close second. The work of the mental health charity this year has made it nothing short of a vital emergency service: our collective mental health has been stretched to its limits during the pandemic, and Mind has worked tirelessly to ensure everyone can access the best advice and support.