Hatters race gets go ahead IAN BROWN

COUNTY SUPPORTERS COOPERATIVE COLUMN

IN February 2015 John Giles approached the board of the Supporters Cooperative with a proposal to stage a half marathon in Stockport in support of the Guardian Account.

My advice to the board was to wait a year, but they were convinced by John’s energy and argument and so the race went ahead. The rest, as they say, is history, as John and his team turned an idea into a quality race that in four years has put Stockport on the running map!

Understandably, John has decided not to continue as Race Director this year, and this week the Supporters Cooperative board met and addressed the question ‘Should we continue with the race?’ with a resounding ‘yes’.

At a sub committee therefore, Cooperative Chair Pete Towey stepped forward as Race Director and with helpful advice from Giles is already in planning mode.

Much needs to be done. Sponsors need confirming, local authority permissions need obtaining, and a host of other essential matters are in Pete’s in tray now, but with a sub committee to lend a hand and coopted outside advisers enlisted, a good start has been made.

The first essential of course was a date, and Sunday 8 September has been provisionally settled on, so put that date in your diaries!

We will also need to make an early start in recruiting helpers on the day, so if you can spare two or three hours from around 8am on 8 September please email peter. towey@hotmail.co.uk

Also needed is some brave soul to follow Matty White and Des Green as a Guardian Account Hero. They will get free race entry, and we will open a ‘Just Giving’ account to raise money for the Guardian Account. Email hedgegrower@ gmail.com if interested .