great west run

FORCE runners gather ahead of the 2024 Great West Run

FORCE raises record total from Great West Run

FORCE Cancer Charity is on course to raise nearly £70,000 from this year’s Bishop Fleming Great West Run.

Money is still coming in from sponsorship but FORCE is confident of smashing an original target of £60,000.

The charity, which offers free support and advice to anyone locally affected by cancer, had a record number of more than 300 sign-ups for the 2024 half marathon around the streets of Exeter.

Their partnership with the event has proved so successful that FORCE has now been announced as official charity partner for the next three years.

Next year’s...

Amazing Amy already a big race winner

A record-breaking 300 runners have signed up for Team FORCE at this year’s Great West Run on Sunday (May 26) and the charity is on course to raise an incredible £50,000 from Exeter’s annual half marathon.

That money will make a significant impact on FORCE Cancer Charity’s support for local cancer patients and their families.

Nobody knows that better than Exeter mum-of-three Amy Green, who was diagnosed with Stage 3 bowel cancer in 2022 at the age of 38.

Amy has entered the race to prove to herself that she could do it, to raise awareness of life with a stoma and to...

The Great West Run organisers are proud to announce a three year title partnership with Bishop Fleming

The Bishop Fleming Great West Run, will take place on Sunday 26 May 2024, offering runners the opportunity to take part in its famous half marathon event, the popular 10km or the fun and accessible Moki Community Mile event, open to all ages and abilities of runner.

The main half marathon event takes participants through the centre of Exeter city on closed roads, along beautiful country lanes with glorious countryside views across Exeter, before finishing in the iconic Exeter Arena Athletics Stadium. Entries are currently open for all three events this May, with over 3,500 people...

Patients and doctors tackle Great West Run together

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Tue, 05/23/2023 - 3:18pm

Pulmonary fibrosis patients teamed up with clinicians and researchers for a Great West Run challenge in Exeter on Sunday.

When patients heard that clinical and academic staff were training for the half marathon event to raise money for pulmonary fibrosis research, they were so touched that they decided to join the Community Mile event – including one patient who completed the mile carrying his own oxygen.

Dr Anna Duckworth and Professor Chris Scotton from the University of Exeter teamed up with staff from the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust to...

Pulmonary fibrosis clinicians, researchers and patients team up for Great West Run challenge

George Vosper lives with pulmonary fibrosis – a little known but devastating lung disease which progressively scars the lungs making breathing increasingly difficult. It is deadly and there is no cure. 15 people die every day in the UK from pulmonary fibrosis. George describes it like living high on a mountain where the air is thin and the oxygen level low. Since his diagnosis in 2019, he has got used to experiencing breathlessness, coughing fits, tiredness, and a lack of concentration, as the low oxygen levels have affected his muscles, organs, and brain – yet he’ll soon be taking part...

Elysium Healthcare announces Title Partnership with Exeter’s Great West Run

Elysium Healthcare, a dynamic independent provider of Mental Health, Neurological, Learning Disabilities & Autism and Children & Education services, has announced its partnership with a major regional fundraising event.

The Elysium Healthcare Great West Run, formerly known as Exeter’s Great West Run, takes place on Sunday 22nd May 2022 and offers an exciting opportunity for runners of all ages and abilities with a half marathon, a 10K route or a 1-mile Community Mile race. The event takes participants on a journey through the city centre, along charming country lanes and...

The Great West Run announces Elysium Healthcare as new Title Partners for 2022

The Great West Run are proud to announce that Elysium Healthcare will be supporting the iconic event as Title Partners for 2022.

The Elysium Healthcare Great West Run, formerly known as Exeter’s Great West Run, takes place next month on Sunday 22nd May 2022 and has the option of a 13.1-mile half marathon, a 10k route or a 1-mile Community Mile race for all ages and abilities of runner. The event takes participants on a journey through the city centre, along pretty country lanes and takes in stunning views across Exeter before a fantastic stadium finish at Exeter Arena Athletics...

Chris Hampton and Rachel Littlewood, who are taking part in a charity half marathon

Chris targets charitable run up to retirement

Chris Hampton is a veteran of running half marathons around Exeter for charity.

He was all set to take part in this year’s Great West Run but when it was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, he refused to be blown off course.

So, on Sunday May 23 – the original date for the GWR - he and a group of family and friends will run the Virtual FORCE Half.

They are tackling their own 13.1-mile challenge to raise money for FORCE Cancer Charity and Hospiscare.

Chris is managing director of Bearnes, Hampton & Littlewood, the largest fine art auction...

Competitors at last year's Great West Run

Exeter gets ready for Great West Run this weekend

More than 2,500 runners are preparing to pound the streets of Exeter this weekend, for the city’s 35th Great West Run and Activate events.

Amongst the participants are those running for charities, including Macmillan Cancer Support, FORCE, Children’s Hospice South West and Hospiscare. Last year the event raised more than £100,000 for charities and organisers Runjoy hope to top that this year.

Event organiser Mark Cowen says the fundraising is a key part of the event. He adds: ‘We’re all really excited about this year’s event, and the knowledge that year after year, we are...

Great West Run announces plans to reduce plastic

Organisers of the Exeter’s Great West Run have pledged that this year’s event will not use any plastic bottles, thanks to an exciting new partnership with South West Water and Packed Meal Prep.

The half marathon, which is in its 35th year and attracts approximately 4,000 entries, will take place on 13 October, and smaller ‘Activate’ events (2.5km and 5km) which take place the day before, usually give runners plastic bottles of water both during and after the event.

This year, South West Water will provide the organisers Runjoy with a number of large 1000 litre containers of...

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