Mass fundraising events return to England
Howard Lake | 13 July 2021 | News
Popular mass participation fundraising events on closed roads can now return to England to help charities to raise funds.
The Mass Participations Sports Organisers (MSO) welcomed the government’s confirmation that England will move on 19 July into step 4 of removing restrictions placed on the population when the COVID-19 pandemic began.
That is one day ahead of the first of their members’ events this year.
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The organisers of the major events including the London Marathon, parkrun, the Great North Run, Brighton Marathon, the ASICS London 10K, London Landmarks Half Marathon, The Vitality Big Half, Manchester Marathon and This Mum Runs, have been working together to plan protocols that will “ensure the safe return of mass participation events outdoors”.
Mass Participation Sports Organisers
The MSO was formed in 2019 to work together to create and introduce sustainable practices in mass participation sports events in the UKMSO. Its members include Cancer Research UK, ChampionChip Ireland, Goldline Events, Grounded Events, GSi Events, Human Race, LimeLight Sports, London Landmarks Half Marathon, London Marathon Events, parkrun, Run 4 Wales, Running High Events, RunThrough Events, The Great Run Company, This Mum Runs and Threshold Sports.
It has been working with Run Britain, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) and Sport England on the protocols that will ensure these mass participation outdoor events can go ahead this year.
SEE ALSO: Race for Life events to return in 2021 (22 June 2021)
Nick Pearson, CEO of parkrun Global, said:
“The work of MSO has ensured our much-loved events can return and we invite everyone to take part – join your local parkrun, enter one of the nation’s iconic events and think about raising funds for the charity of your choice. We can’t wait to welcome back our parkrun family on 24 July.”
Events in 2020
The Standard Chartered Great City Race, a corporate 5K challenge that takes place in the City of London, will be the first event to be held on closed roads in the capital since the pandemic hit in March 2020.
MSO member events coming up this year include:
20 July: Standard Chartered Great City Race
21 July: return of This Mum Runs community runs
24 July: return of parkrun in England
25 July: ASICS London 10K
1 August: London Landmarks Half Marathon
8 August: return Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life and Pretty Muddy events
22 August: The Vitality Big Half
5 September: London Summer Run
12 September: Great North Run
12 September: Brighton Marathon
26 September: Hackney Half
3 October: Virgin Money London Marathon
10 October: Royal Parks Half Marathon
10 October: Manchester Marathon
17 October: Oxford Half
Hugh Brasher, Event Director of London Marathon Events, said:
“It is wonderful to confirm that our great mass participation events are returning across the country. Extensive scientific research worldwide has shown that the risk of transmission of Covid-19 outdoors is negligible. The UK’s event organisers have worked together to ensure the safe return of mass participation sports events outdoors by participating in the government’s Events Research Programme and collaborating on a range of protocols that ensure our events will be safe and Covid-secure.”
Paul Foster, CEO of the Great Run Company, emphasised the value to charities of mass participation events, saying:
“Our events inspire people of all ages and abilities to get active, which is so important for both physical and mental health. Participants in the MSO’s calendar of events generate more than £250 million every year for charities and these funds are so desperately needed now, as the services of charities are vital to support vulnerable members of society.”
More on mass participation fundraising events
- New support for mass participation events with creation of RaceNation events (30 September 2020)
- CRUK’s Face for Life is most successful mass participation event (1 August 2017)
- Lower demand, cost constraints and uncertainty are hindering the return of fundraising events (17 June 2021)
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About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.