Entries are now being accepted for this year’s 25th annual Sawston Fun Run & Walk to be held on Sunday 9th May. The organisers, the Rotary Club of Sawston District, have ambitious plans to mark this milestone by raising the highest amount ever in the event’s history.

The event attracts thousands of entrants from across Cambridgeshire, members of running clubs and many fun runners from the local villages. Over the years more than £319,000 has been donated to local charities and organisations in Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire that help a wide cross section of the community - hospitals, hospices, youth groups, the elderly, the sick and those in need.
This year money raised will go towards helping babies and young children who are acutely ill, those who need urgent medical support and a whole range of local community groups.

The major beneficiaries this year are:

• Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, Addenbrookes - to purchase a wireless operated life support measurement machine, used when very sick children are in transit to and around the hospital. The unit is the only Paediatric Intensive Care Unit in East Anglia.
• Magpas - to help buy equipment for the local Emergency Medical Team.
• Spicers Community Pavilion - to help equip the community area in this new local facility.
• Duxford Saturday Workshop - to buy violins for the new beginner classes.
• St. Mary’s Community Hall - to contribute to the appeal funds for the upgrading of this local community hall.

Other groups to benefit this year are:

Most groups and charities in Sawston and the surrounding villages have benefited from the Fun Run. This year there are twelve groups:

• Sawston Youth Group – for video and sports equipment
• Sawston Air Cadets – for camping and field equipment
• Sawston Boys Brigade - for a self build canoe
• Sawston Youth Drama – for microphones and stage equipment
• Sawston Rugby Club – for a storage shed for equipment
• and seven local primary schools - Babraham, Bellbird, Duxford, Gt. Shelford, Icknield, Stapleford and William Westley, Whittlesford

Cambridge Building Society has been the major sponsor every year and continues its active support, not only by assisting financially with the organisational costs but also by providing over twenty members of staff to help on the day at a water station and at the finish by handing out certificates and bottled water.

Sue Coles, President of the Rotary Club of Sawston District, and Personal Adviser at the Cambridge Building Society, said

"It’s clear the community really enjoys coming together to have some fun each year and to raise funds for local causes. We’re just glad we can play our part by making it happen and knowing that it helps many different local groups.

"We are thankful to Cambridge Building Society for their continued sponsorship and also to our other key supporters Adams Harrison, solicitors; Budgens Sawston; Excell Voice & Data Systems; Morgan Ashurst; Spicers; Vindis Sawston and the Sawston Parish Council.

“We wish everyone a great morning on the 9th May".

Register and pay online
For the first time entrants are now able to register and pay on line via the events website: www.sawstonfunrun.co.uk.

Entry forms
As the major sponsor, forms are available from any of the Society’s branches; the reception office at Sawston Village College and can be downloaded from www.sawstonfunrun.co.uk.
 
Entry fees
Entry is £4 for those in school years 1 to 11 and £8 for adults of 17+ years on 9th May 2010. There are no additional fees for team entries. Fees on 9th May will be £5 for school years 1-11 and £12 for adults aged 17+ years.

Organisations are invited to contact Rotarian Tony Collett, of the organising committee on 01223 893447, to find out about further opportunities of getting involved.