THE ROTHERHAM 10K – THANK YOU SO MUCH!

The Rotherham Virtual 10k took place on 17th May 2020 with a target of raising 10,000 pounds for Age UK Rotherham.

We are so pleased to report that with the money already collected and pledged we will have achieved and exceeded this target!

Age UK Rotherham wants to thank everyone who made this possible including:

The Organising Group – Ray Matthews, Steve Gaines from Rotherham Harriers, Chris Siddall, Rachel Stothard and OTHER colleagues from Rotherham Council, Tony Beaumont, owner of TTB Transport, and all the others who helped.

The participants – who ran, walked, biked or toddled the 10k to raise money.

The supporters – who donated and sponsored the participants,

A BIG THANK YOU TO YOU ALL!

Lesley Dabell, Chief Executive of Age UK Rotherham said:
‘The coronavirus pandemic,  and the subsequent lockdown that has resulted from this,  have been extra hard for older people in Rotherham and elsewhere in the UK.  The fact that older people are more likely to be isolated and lonely already, coupled with the fact that they are more likely to be in the ‘vulnerable’ and ‘shielded groups’ that have been subject to the greatest restrictions on daily life,  has meant that the impact on older people in our communities has been significant and their need for support has increased at this time. 

The lockdown has also had a huge impact on the finances of Age UK Rotherham, because around 50% of our annual income comes from our social enterprise, charity shops and fund raising activity, all of which we had to suspend due to government restrictions.

This has meant that we have had fewer resources available to us to be able to support older people in Rotherham, at the very time that they need us more than ever. 

The funds raised by the Rotherham Virtual 10K are therefore most welcome and vital at this time.  We cannot quite believe it but the event this year has raised more money than ever before.  The money raised will help us to continue providing essential services to support vulnerable and shielded older people in the borough and their carers in the coming months. 

This has been a fantastic effort by everyone involved including the runners (or walkers or cyclists or toddlers or dogs) who have taken part, and the organisers of the Virtual Rotherham 10k, who were determined that this event would go ahead despite the Coronavirus restrictions. 

Thank you very much to everyone who has supported the event; we are thrilled at the response from you all, and the amount of money raised is amazing.’’

If you haven’t donated yet and want to support the work of Age UK Rotherham you can still donate here.