Thanks to all for memorable GNR

Team Mini Sunshine

HI, Sunshine News readers,

What a week we’ve had, and if we’re honest, we’re all still a bit emotional after a sensational GNR weekend. I think we were all nervous at the start of year and thought maybe the events would be postponed for a second year, but the sun shone on us this weekend and we were back with a bang!

We have quite a few organisations to thank but the biggest thanks go to the adults and children who took part in events across the weekend. It has filled us with pride seeing you wearing our team colours and it has been a pleasure getting to know each and every participant and their personal stories. We can’t thank you enough for choosing our charity and please know that your support will make a huge difference to the lives of the children we support.

In particular, we wanted to say a huge congratulations to Richard and Haydn whose story featured in The Chronicle last week. It was Richard’s 25th race and Haydn’s first, at 17. Haydn was pushed round the course by Richard in the specialist buggy we funded for him earlier this year. What a remarkable achievement for them both and it makes it even more special seeing a piece of our equipment being used at one of our favourite events. Richard has also been a star at promoting the charity and has featured on radio and TV recently.

Of course another huge thank you goes to our friends and event partners for a third year running – True Potential LLP. We couldn’t ask for better partners and their entire team really has gone above and beyond this year to make GNR truly special. We’ve worked with True Potential on various other projects over the years and it’s quite special to get to know a team so well and know that they’re fully invested in your cause. We’re delighted to announce that their runners have raised £5,000 in sponsorship across the team, which True Potential have kindly match funded as part of their commitment to making the North East a more inclusive place for children with disabilities. This brings their GNR fundraising to a whopping £10k!

One man at front and centre last weekend was True Potentials chief executive, Daniel Harrison, who took part in the Mini GNR with children Hazell and Chester and also the main GNR on Sunday. He said, “The Great North Run has a lot in common with our values at True Potential, which are all about challenging yourself to make the most of your talents and supporting our local communities. The last 12 months have shown how important it is that everyone plays their part. They are values that I know the Sunshine Fund shares and that’s why this is always a great partnership, now in its third year.”

We also need to thank Dreams on Moonbeams events and True Colours Theatre for supporting us on Saturday with their fabulous Princesses – they were a huge hit with Team Mini Sunshine and spectators on the Quayside.

Thanks to NE1 for setting up an incredible reserved area for our team again. Many of our children can be overwhelmed with the crowds and noise on the day so it is fantastic to have this space where they can take time out. And finally, thanks to Greggs for keeping our team fuelled with a delicious cookie donation!

GNR is such a big event for us and it takes lots of organisations and individuals to pull it all together, we couldn’t do it without you.

If you’ve been inspired by the GNR weekend and are itching to take part in events in 2022 for Team Sunshine, then visit our website to register for our GNR (www.thesunshinefund.org/gnr) and Junior & Mini GNR (www.thesunshinefund.org/mini-junior-gnr) reminder service so that you’ll be the first to know when places become available.

It’s been a challenging 18 months but with the continued support of our corporate partners and Chronicle readers, we know our future is full of potential.

Alan Cunningham outside court

In total, four bottles of vodka and the smashed bottle were found in the thief’s bag, worth £152.

The court was told that, two months earlier on November 12, banned driver Cunningham was pulled over while behind the wheel of his Fiat Punto on Birds Nest Road, in Walker.

He also had no insurance.

Ian Hudson, defending, said Cunningham, who has 82 offences to his name and was on a community order at the time, had made progress with his life but had hit a blip when his father died.

“He was doing very well then, bang, the tragedy happened with his father,” Mr Hudson added. “That’s what hit him and hit him hard and it hit him in the arm as he started using drugs again.”

Magistrates adjourned sentencing for the preparation of a pre-sentence report and released Cunningham on conditional bail to appear back before the same court on October 4.