Running for charity is an amazing way to support a cause which you are passionate about. Not only will you raise funds to support the vital work of Kids Inspire, but you will also see the benefits to your own health from being active.

Matthew Bellamy began working at Kids Inspire in the Fundraising Team this year. Read on to learn a few more reasons why he thinks running in aid of charity is a positive challenge to commit to.

Raising funds for a cause that matters to you

Perhaps you, a family member, a friend, or someone you know has received support from Kids Inspire. Maybe this is the first you’ve heard of us and are interested in supporting our mission. Whatever your reason, running for Kids Inspire is a fantastic way to feel good about doing something you enjoy as well as raising vital funds in the process. Your efforts allow us to reach even more young people across Essex and Suffolk and provide them, and their families, with the support they need to thrive.

Raising awareness

The impact of running for charity goes beyond raising funds, it also helps raise awareness about our work.

We will provide you with a Kids Inspire running shirt for the big day! By proudly wearing it other runners and spectators will see the cause you are supporting and know you are running in aid of children’s mental health. On the day you may strike up conversations about your cause and be a passionate ambassador in support of our work.

Hopefully, you’ll also be talking about your run with your friends, families, and colleagues. Your actions might inspire them to undertake a challenge of their own. The conversations you have can inspire others and may be the catalyst for them to support us in their own way.

Positive impact on your health

We here at Kids Inspire know just how important mental health is, and one of the best ways to boost this is by being active. Our bodies release chemicals when we are active that make us feel better in a variety of ways:

• boosting self-esteem and confidence

• increasing motivation and focus

• reducing tension, anxiety, and stress

• can help us relax when dealing with anger, frustrations and sadness.

The sense of achievement you will feel once you have completed a run will be immense. People talk about how good a runner’s high is, but just imagine how great you will feel after completing such an incredible feat with the knowledge your effort has helped improved people’s lives!

Aside from your mental health, running can also help improve your physical wellbeing! Some of these benefits are:

• improve the health of your heart and lungs

• strengthen muscles and increase bone density

• reduction in the risk of chronic conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and stroke

• increasing your stamina

• improving your quality of sleep.

How can I start?

So, you want to run for Kids Inspire? That’s wonderful! Congratulations and thank you, your efforts will ensure that we can continue supporting young people and their families across Essex and Suffolk.

We are not one of the big charities that receive free running places, which means we rely on our lovely supporters getting a place in a ballot! Or sign up for a half marathon (or less!) – we have a few forthcoming runs listed on this web page.

Whatever you decide, thank you for reading this and please do not hesitate to get in contact with us! And don’t forget if you choose to run a half or full marathon in aid of Kids Inspire we’ll send you a Kids Inspire running top!

Final thoughts!

If you’re new to running, then don’t worry, it has never been easier to start! A great free app is the Couch to 5K, which coaches new runners and gets them running non-stop for 30 minutes within 9 weeks. From there, most half and full marathons will provide you with a training plan so you can be at your best on the big day!

Lynne’s running story:

At Kids Inspire, we often have members of our team running for causes close to their heart. One such member was Lynne, who ran the 2024 London Marathon for a charity close to her heart that is supported her friend. Her experiences are recorded below:

Q: What inspired you to run the London Marathon?

A: My close friend Jess, who I met through running, was diagnosed with terminal cancer last year. She has run a marathon before and I previously said no, but following her diagnosis we knew this would be our last opportunity to do this. When I was unable to get a place in the ballot, I decided to try and find one through a charity. I spent quite some time looking through the charities which may support me or someone I know one day.

Q: How did you fundraise?

A: I wanted to organise one main fundraising event, with a raffle, and then rely on donations from friends and family.  I organised a two-course meal in a local pub.  This was accompanied by a raffle, which had prizes from local businesses, and other donated prizes. I was also sharing my mission on Facebook every Sunday evening, sharing the work of the charity and also sharing their Facebook posts. 

With four weeks to go, I was still about £700 short of my total. Friends who have previously taken on such missions assured me the totaliser would go up as marathon day draws closer.  And it did, with two weeks to go, I was getting several donations a day.  With every donation came a social media post of thanks.  I was also sharing my training runs and how I was feeling.

Q: How did you feel before, during, and after the race?

A: I am not a natural runner, and my training was interrupted by major surgery.  So, I set out without a time expectation, just start, finish, and enjoy every moment. This meant I had an enviable positive attitude, and on a coach full of championship runners, I must have been the most chilled. I kept wondering when the nerves would kick in, and they didn’t. I was bouncing off the walls with excitement!

Every inch of every mile was full of people cheering me on.  Having your name on your running vest is the way forward.  The amazing thing is, with all that noise going on, you are still able to pick out voices you know in the crowds!  Because I wasn’t worried about time, I stopped to speak to everyone who made the journey to come and support me.

Running with the stars had to be a highlight, I certainly wasn’t expecting to run some miles with Romesh [Ranganathan]! That was entertaining to say the least. I called my Dad a few times to keep him updated as to how it was going. I think all I could shout down the phone was “This is nuts! It’s the biggest party ever and everyone is going the same direction!”

My family, including my son, who had finished four hours earlier, were stood by Big Ben, mile 25, with the athletics club flag [Braintree & District Athletic Club], which I could see from a couple of hundred metres away. I don’t know how, but I managed to skip over to them! 

Turning the corner onto The Mall in indescribable. You have to do it to understand it. Crossing the line in the world’s largest marathon is something else. Best day of my life, no question of that! I missed running with Jess, she was watching on TV and texting me on the way round, and I’m grateful for that.

Q: What would you say to someone considering running for charity?

A: If anyone was to consider running for charity, do it, go for it.  There were about 80 of us running for the charity I chose and we raised over £220,000.  Just think of the difference that money will make to so many. 

We would love to hear from you if you have been inspired by this blog and Lynne’s story. If you have a run in mind let us know and we can offer you our support to:

• register for a run (or other challenge!)

• get an online fundraising page live

• answer any questions you may have about setting up your fundraising activities (if you have something in mind!)

We have listed a few forthcoming runs on our website and will be aiming to have a team at each of them - why not take part with us?