REECE & SUNNY'S ROVING REPORTS - Ron's Run
Sunny and I joined Ron’s Run last Friday evening on the promenade by the Marine Hall where we met various participants for the very first Ron’s Run in Fleetwood. We also had the pleasure of meeting the event organiser Luke Helmn who took the time to tell us the reason behind Ron’s Run and what motivated such an initiative.
Ron’s Run was set up in honour of the memory of Luke’s Dad, who was an athletics coach for many years at Blackpool’s Stanley Park. After Ron’s passing Luke wanted to raise funds for a memorial bench at the athletics track, where Ron’s ashes were scattered, originally Luke started organising the run to raise funds for the bench. However, Ron’s former employers Glasdons donated the bench, due to all the community work Ron had done within the local community.
With Luke no longer needing to raise funds for the memorial bench and Ron’s Run already being set up. Luke decided to go ahead with the run but to raise funds for Blackpool Food Bank instead which resulted in them nominating Luke for a Community Award.
So far, approximately 1,500 people have taken part in Ron’s Run with various partners through a simple concept that Luke likes to call ‘Paying Sport Forward’ that gives people the opportunity to do a little bit of exercise whilst helping feed people.
Hopefully, tonight was the first Ron’s Run in Fleetwood with many more to come in the future, enabling people to come along do a bit of exercise and make donations to the local food bank in Fleetwood at the same time.
Luke gave thanks to the organisations that helped him with this evenings Ron’s Run including Healthier Fleetwood, Wyre Fylde and School Partnership, Fleetwood Town Community Trust without whom Ron’s Run in Fleetwood wouldn’t have been possible, he hopes everyone who came along and took part in Ron’s Run enjoyed themselves and keeps raising lots of donations for the local food bank in Fleetwood. Wyre Council have supported Ron’s Run from the start and it and it fitted nicely with the new ‘Wyre Moving More’ 5-year strategy encouraging residents to be more active.
I spoke with Jonathon, a friend of Luke’s, he thought Ron’s Run was a great idea and brought his family along for them to have fun whilst doing a bit of exercise. Ron’s Run isn’t about achieving the best time it’s about coming together, enjoying yourself, helping the local community whilst encouraging people to be a bit more active.
Sunny and I also spoke with Jane and Lisa who brought their children along, both are runners but loved the opportunity Ron’s Run gave them to run as a family, they also brought a few bags of food along with them to donate, saying that it’s always good to help the local community.
It was so enjoyable for Sunny and me to meet everyone that came along for the first Ron’s Run in Fleetwood and seeing the vast amount of food donated. It really does show what can happen when the people of Fleetwood come together.
The part of the evening I wasn’t looking forward to, was the 2km run (for those of us that are a certain age it’s 1.25 miles), I do tell people I’m not an athlete and I wouldn’t particularly say I’m physically fit either but there was nothing to worry about. Ron’s Run really is something that can be participated in no matter your level of fitness, you can do the activity your way. I completed the run in my wheelchair with Sunny running at my side, whilst others ran, jogged and walked with one chap doing it whilst pushing two children in a pram.
The run itself was started by local swimmer Adam Diver, right from the start Sunny was off like the clappers wanting to run with everyone but I couldn’t match his enthusiasm, I tried my best and eventually got into my stride, finding it quite easy going even when I got a phone call halfway through. There were plenty of people offering words of encouragement whilst on the run, with even more as we approached the finish line as everyone who’d finished before us were there to applaud when we finished. I received a bottle of water, which I was very grateful for, we then stayed to cheer everyone else on, as they finished after us.
You’re probably wondering how long it took Sunny and I to complete the 2km but sadly I can’t tell you. I did start the timer on my watch when we got going but when we crossed the finishing line, I forgot to stop it, so it kept going, I think it could have been less than 15 minutes though.
The real winner of the evening was Fleetwood Food Bank, located within Fleetwood Hospital with so much food donated by the good people participating in Fleetwood’s first Ron’s Run.
- Reece & Sunny, July 2024
Ron's Run organiser Luke Helm has said, "I received this from The Pantry Food Bank in Fleetwood after last Friday's event ... Hi Luke, we collected over 13 trays of food which was far better than we were expecting. People are so generous. We also collected over £27 in cash donations. Thanks for making it such a success."
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