Balsall Common Fun Run receives sponsorship boost

The run will be sponsored by the University of Warwick’s newSports and Wellness Hub, which is due to open next year.

The sponsorship will support the continued growth of the run, with more than 700 competitors expected to take part in on Sunday September 23.

It is aimed at all ages and abilities, with runners able to choose from a 5km or 10km route. There will also be a 400m mini-run for children to take part in.

Ryan Jackson, who organises the fun run, said: “We’re very proud of the Balsall Common Fun Run and how the event has grown since it began five years ago.

“To receive the support of the University of Warwick and their new sports and wellness hub is a real coup for us. It shows that we are starting to build a reputation as a fantastic local community event.

“The new sports hub at the university is a fantastic concept, it is great to have a state-of-the-art facility right on our doorstep. It will be a really valuable resource to the community here in Balsall Common.”

The fun run raises funds for The Lily Mae Foundation, a Balsall Common charity. It supports parents and families across Warwickshire and the West Midlands who have lost a baby to stillbirth or to neonatal death.

Ryan, who is the founder and managing director of The Lily Mae Foundation, added: “The run raises vital funds for The Lily Mae Foundation and having the support from sponsors is crucial to ensure that we can put the day on for the benefit of all.”

The new Sports and Wellness Hub will open in spring nest year, and is part of a £49 million sports complex at the University of Warwick.

It will include a 12-court sports hall, a new 25-metre swimming pool with moveable floor, gym, flexible studio space, state-of-the-art climbing

wall, squash and netball courts and a range of other sports pitches.

The facility will be open for public use.

Lisa Dodd-Mayne, Director of Sport & Active Communities at the University of Warwick, said: “The Balsall Common Fun Run is a brilliant event for the community we are delighted to be supporting it this year.

“We want people from surrounding communities to take advantage of the facilities available at our new centre - as it will be open to local people as well as students."