Race for Life & RBC Race for the Kids go virtual for 2020
Melanie May | 20 August 2020 | News
Cancer Research UK is holding a one-day virtual 5k event next month in lieu of its usual Race to Life series of events, while Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity has also announced that its RBC Race for the Kids will return as a virtual fun run this Autumn.
Cancer Research UK’s A Very 2020 Race for Life will take place on 26 September, following the cancellation of the mass Race for Life event series due to the pandemic. It asks people to complete their own 5k in local parks or neighbourhoods, either by themselves or in socially distanced small groups.
A live stream will be hosted on the Race for Life Facebook page from 9.30am on 26 September, with a warm up routine followed by a minute’s silence to remember family and friends who are no longer here or currently undergoing treatment.
Throughout the broadcast, people affected by cancer will share their story to highlight the importance of fundraising for research with opportunities to donate throughout. Participants can then choose to set off on their 5k after the live event or any time over that weekend or complete it any at point throughout September.
Cancer Research UK has said that it expects to see a 30% decline in fundraising income this year (£160m) due to the pandemic. The charity has already been forced to make £44m of cuts to research spend this year and will need to reduce the amount of research it funds annually. Currently this is about £400m a year, but will gradually reduce, over the next four to five years, to around £250m a year – around £150m lower than today.
Sarah Pickersgill, head of Race for Life Marketing said:
“Over the last few months it might have felt at times like our lives were on hold but one thing that hasn’t stopped throughout the pandemic is cancer. We must continue to make progress for people affected by cancer, who have never needed us more. To do this we need the public’s help and by joining us on 26 September for a Very 2020 Race for Life and running, jogging or walking a 5k in local parks or neighbourhoods, people across the UK can make a real difference. Whether raising £10 or £100, every pound will help. Just have fun and stay safe. COVID-19 has paused vital research, but with the public’s help we can get back on track and continue our vital work to save more lives.”
For the first ever virtual RBC Race for the Kids, GOSH Charity is asking participants to take on their own ‘race’ distance over a weekend of celebration on 17 and 18 October and raise funds. The virtual event is open to supporters of all ages and abilities, with participants encouraged to choose somewhere in the local neighbourhood, such as a park or a garden and ‘race’ their distance, their way.
The event is part of the first RBC Global Virtual Race for the Kids, created by Royal Bank of Canada, and which will bring together for the first time tens of thousands of participants to support 36 children’s and youth charities in 16 countries across this weekend, enabling anyone to take part wherever they are in the world. GOSH Charity is to the UK charity beneficiary, with the money raised going towards funding the hospital’s most urgent needs.
From 14 September, participants will be able to sign up for free at rbcraceforthekids.com, select their city and associated charity and choose their preferred race distance to complete during the weekend of the 17 and 18 October. The virtual race will have support and integration with most running apps and all participants will receive digital medals and rewards.
Dave Thomas, CEO of RBC Europe Ltd, said:
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“Royal Bank of Canada have partnered with Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity for over a decade, raising around £2 million through RBC Race for the Kids to help some of the most critically ill children in the UK. Last year more than 2,000 employees, friends and family members took part in the RBC Race for the Kids at Hyde Park to raise funds for the construction of RBC House, family accommodation at the hospital and we are determined to not let the current situation bring our decade-long run to an end so we hope the public will join RBC and the incredible people at GOSH in our first virtual, and biggest ever, global race.”
About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.