Runners of all ages and abilities gathered at the Town Moor on October 22nd to run for fun and raise money for charity in spite of strong winds.

The 5K fun run was a part of a number of casual running events throughout the country that started back in July. They aimed to provide the opportunity for anyone willing to participate to raise money for charity or a chance to achieve their own targets without it feeling like a serious competition.

The Big Fun Run helped a number of different charities including Cancer Research UK, Meningitis Research Foundation and Mercy Ships.

There was a great deal of diversity in the runners with children getting involved as well as older members of the community. Some even brought their dogs to run with them.

Runners at the event were motivated for a large number of different reasons. Joanna, who was running for Cancer Research, said: “A friend of mine is really passionate about Cancer Research.

Fun runners Alan (right) and David (left).

“She does a lot of work and really inspired me to run and then I started to do a lot of half runs so this is actually the first charity run I have done.”

Father and son running partners Alan and Daniel were taking part to push on their own fitness goals. Daniel, an asthma sufferer, and his father aged 60, both provided each other with the support to complete the run.

Mark, a footballer from Cramlington United ran with his friend and their dogs, Paddy and Sweep, on Sunday in honour of one of their teammate’s son who had recently passed away. Despite not being well leading up to the event he was very determined to complete the run.

Another running duo, Anna and Fiona, ran for Mercy Ships, a charity that uses ships to bring healthcare to some of the poorest people around the world. The pair even had to overcome additional challenges in order to complete the fun run. “I am registered deaf-blind and I do it basically because I can,” Anna said.

“I have got fibromyalgia which limits what I can do, but it is also a special charity and they can save sight and give people a chance. I know what it is like to have limited vision; to have your vision is really everything.”

Fiona, Anna’s guide runner, indicated how impressed she was with her as “it’s hard enough running 5K but [even moreso] when you have to trust somebody because you can’t see.

“But also when she has pain in her legs all the time, I am really proud of her.”

For those interested in doing similar events, there is the 5K and 10K Mo Run on November 5th.