The Community Hospice Mini Marathon returned this May with a powerful show of local support and sold out a week before the event.
A total of 1,600 children and young people took part in this year’s event, with families, schools and supporters coming together for a fulfilled and active morning.
We welcomed a mix of first-time runners to confident sprinters; the atmosphere was full of energy and pride. We were excited to greet existing supporters, showing just how strongly the Hospice Mini Marathon continues to resonate across Greenwich, Bexley and beyond. Almost half of all participants were new to Community Hospice, many hearing about the event through friends, schools and through our social media pages.
Thanks to the generosity of everyone involved, the Mini Marathon is on track to raise over £60,000 through registrations, sponsorship and donations, a 28% increase on last year. These funds will help Community Hospice continue providing free, compassionate care and support to people living with a terminal illness, as well as their families and carers.
Aneta Saunders,CEO at Community Hospice“It may have been cold on Sunday, but the warmth of over 1,600 runners more than made up for it. I was especially moved by the many young runners raising funds in memory of someone they love – sharing their stories so openly and with such heart.
Our hospice exists because of our community, and that support means more than ever this year. It’s what enables us to support people to live as well as they can, for as long as they can, with the care and dignity they deserve.”
Among the runners were some particularly moving stories. Oscar Moore, who finished in first place with a time of 14:30, takes part each year in memory of his grandmother, who was cared for by Community Hospice. Oscar runs to show his appreciation for the care his family received. Second place went to Noah Collins, who completed the course in 15:32. Noah ran in recognition of both of his grandads, who were supported by the hospice.
We were delighted to be joined by Cllr Linda Bird, Mayor of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, who came along to show her support for the children, families and hospice team, and presented medals to runners at the finish line. We were also pleased to welcome the Pearly Queen of Greenwich, Gwen Jones, and the Pearly King and Queen of Woolwich, Clive and Kim Bennett, who return each year to cheer on participants and help hand out medals.
Augusta Adu, Community & Events Manager at Community Hospice“We’re so thankful for the incredible passion, generosity and support shown by everyone who took part"
Behind the scenes, the event was powered by an incredible community effort. Families fundraised together, children encouraged one another across the finish line, and volunteers helped make the day welcoming and well-organised for everyone.
What makes the Hospice Mini Marathon so special is not just the money raised, but the message it sends. It shows that children and young people can play a meaningful part in supporting care, kindness and dignity in their community, and that small steps really do add up to something bigger.
A huge thank you to every child and young person who took part, every family who supported them, and everyone who helped make this year’s Hospice Mini Marathon such a success.
With thanks to Better Gym for supporting the event with fun warm‑up activities and giveaways, Greenwich Runners for leading our energising warm‑up sessions, and JLL, our corporate sponsors, whose continued support has helped make the Hospice Mini Marathon possible every year since 2018.
We’re also incredibly grateful to Woolwich Army Cadets, Greenwich & Lewisham Police Cadets, Greenwich Sea Cadets, and the 101 Engineer Regiment, who volunteered their time to help set up the event, hand out medals and goody bags, and support the pack‑down at the end of the day. A special thank you as well to Rock Choir, who sang at the bandstand to get runners off to a great start, and Play It on Pan, whose live music along the route helped keep spirits high and cheer runners on every step of the way.
If you missed out this year, keep an eye on our website and newsletters, we’d love to see you at the starting line next time.