Get ready for a bank holiday weekend to remember
MACCABI GB will be bringing not just one but two fun runs to the community this year. The Maccabi GB Community Fun Run will be returning on Sunday, August 29, followed by the inaugural Interfaith Fun Run with interfaith charity, the Faith & Belief Forum, on Monday, August 30. This is a weekend you won’t want to miss.
Since its launch in 2007, the Maccabi GB Community Fun Run has grown to be the largest event within the community and has seen more than 35,000 participants run, hop, skip or even jump around the course to collectively raise more than £2 million for communal organisations.
In 2019, we saw our largest event to date, with 7,500 runners and spectators raising more than £200,000 for the participating 85 communal charities and schools. Along with everyone in the community, we were saddened when we had to postpone the 2020 event due to the pandemic, but that did not stop us bringing the community together. We launched the Maccabi GB Community Fun Run @ Home Online, with hundreds of people participating from their homes and raising £75,000 for 50 of our frontline services. The day culminated with a special online ceremony, with more than 15,000 people either joining for the live event or watching it afterwards.
Now our attention is focused on bringing the community back together in person once again, later this summer. We know this year’s event may look different from that of 2019 but we are confident it will be a true festival of fun, positivity and togetherness, something we have all been so desperate for over the past 18 months.
In 2021, our aim is to bring together as many members of the community as possible — and to help make this happen, we are delighted that, for this year only, with the generous support of Genesis Philanthropy Group, there will be 50 per cent off all registration fees. Whether you are a family or an individual, this incredible offer will be available to all registrations this year.
This will enable us to reduce the participation costs for charities and schools as well as providing them with a boost to facilitate the recruitment of runners. The reduced ticket price will also make it more affordable for members of the community who want to support their favourite charities by coming along.
Maccabi GB chief executive Ashley Lerner says: “Since its inception 15 years ago, the Maccabi GB Community Fun Run has built itself into being the largest event in the communal diary and an integral element of how our charities fundraise on an annual basis.
“This year more than ever, it’s our chance to come back together and celebrate all the incredible work that the Jewish community has done over the
This year there will be 50 per cent off all registration fees’
Our aim is to provide a summer festival for all to enjoy’
past 18 months. I can’t wait to be on that starting line to cheer on all the runners and to be a part of this very special day. This year might be slightly different, but we promise a day to remember for all the family to enjoy. Whether you are a spectator, runner or just coming for a family day out, we will have lots of exciting entertainment for you all.”
Marina Yudborovsky, CEO of Genesis Philanthropy Group, describes the run as: “a unique combination of social activism, thoughtful fundraising, communal volunteerism, Jewish engagement and simply the joy of achieving your personal goal — both literally and figuratively speaking — whilst supporting a charity of your choice. We are glad to support this bright event as well as all the participants in the Community Fun Run, in what promises to be an exciting day for the entire Jewish community in the UK.”
The Maccabi GB Community Fun Run combines health and wellbeing with cross-generational Jewish engagement and communal partnerships. It will bring together members of the community of all ages, abilities and religious observances, who can opt to walk or run 1km, 5km or 10 km routes.
We are working closely with the venue to ensure everything we do is safe and Covid-appropriate.
The entire event will take place outside this year and we will still include your favourite parts of the day, such as the muchloved food court, offering a wide range of tasty kosher treats and, of course, the charity fair, where you can visit and support all the incredible charities from our community.
The Fun Zone will also be back and our aim is to provide a ‘summer festival’, featuring various performances as well as other interactive activities for all to enjoy.
Charities and organisations rely on the Community Fun Run to bring in vital funds to support their causes and we are delighted that more than 50 charities and schools have already signed up. The not-for-profit sector has been hard hit over the past 18 months and we want to ensure that as many charities are a part of the day and recruit as many participants as possible to help raise vital funds for them. If you are a charity and have not yet signed up, don’t miss out. Contact us today at communityfunrun@maccabigb.org
This year’s event would not be possible without the support of our sponsors and partners, who include Genesis Philanthropy Group, CanO Water, CST, Dare2B, Jewish Volunteering Network, Sabeny, Saracens, Squires Estates, UJIA and our media partner — the Jewish Chronicle.
The Community Fun Run really is an event like no other and we know this year the excitement of finally all being together once again will make the day even more special.
The inaugural Interfaith Faith Run, on Monday, August 30, will build on the success and the model of the Community Fun Run. This is a brand new way for communities to come together following a challenging year.
It is taking place thanks to The Exilarch’s Foundation and with support of Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London’s Council on Faith, in partnership with the Faith & Belief Forum.
In addition to spreading an uplifting and positive message, the event will
be a great opportunity to create interfaith encounters and opportunities for groups that would not usually participate in interfaith work.
The August 2021 bank holiday will really be one to remember, so make sure you don’t miss out on what is going to be a great weekend for all the family to enjoy.
To find out more about the Maccabi GB Community Fun Run on Sunday, August 29, see www.communityfunrun.org For further information about the Inaugural Interfaith Fun Run on Monday August 30, contact Candice Mendes da Costa – candice@maccabigb.org. If you are a charity and you would like to register, go to: https://faithbeliefforum.org/programme/fun-run/
Rebecca Ross is marketing communications manager at Maccabi GB