Bristol Great Run 2024: 'I just wanted to give back in some way'

The Wallace and Gromit's Grand Appeal is the Bristol Children's Hospital charity and also supports St Michael's neonatal intensive care unit with Cots for Tots.

The charity funds the accommodation houses for parents who are living away from their home during their child's treatment as well as life-saving medical equipment and play and music therapies that provide a distraction for the children whilst they're in hospital.

Stacey Vincent, the charity's events fundraiser, says: "The difference that the fundraising does for the Bristol Children's Hospital and the young patients who find themselves there with their family is so big."

So far, over 100 runners have signed up for the three races - the family run, the 10k and the half marathon - and have raised over £20,000. In previous years it has been a lot more than that so organisers are hoping the total will just keep climbing.

Runner Lily says that she will be taking part in this year's half-marathon to give back to the charity which supported her family when her son and daughter were in the children's hospital.

"My son was in for a lymph node infection and he was given the opportunity to go and see a magician which is provided by The Grand Appeal, which was amazing.

"It was a real break from the machines and medicines and things. My daughter has also been in the children's hospital and I just wanted to give back in some way to it."

She explained she has been doing a run plan every other day supported by her husband who has done more running and she is slowly building up distance to prepare for the half-marathon.

Similarly, Luke who recently became a father in January, is taking part in the 10k dressed as Gromit to thank the charity for their help after their support in the hospital when his son was born with a urine tract infection.

"So he's spent the first six days of his life in hospital," Luke explained, "and I just felt that everything that we had, the treatment, the nurses, everything like that, even having a chat with nurses, specialist nurses, to come over and just make sure he's okay, I just wanted to say thank you, and just something that I can do which wouldn't cause too much injury.

"And I thought why not, I'm running the Bristol 10k. It's either that or rugby, but this is going to cause me less injury I feel, so we'll see. I also want to be around when Oscar's a bit older to start running after him and things like that. Because by the looks of it, he's definitely going to be a runner, so someone's got to keep an eye on him. And yeah, it could be £50 to £500, just anything given is something to say thank you very much for looking after my first child."

Since last year, Luke has joined a Bristol run group where he has been dubbed the "dad" of the group and enjoys running twice a week.

Feel inspired to take part in the Great Bristol Run on May 19? Entries are open here.