A team from children’s bereavement charity Harry’s Rainbow will be taking part in this year’s Milton Keynes Festival of Running, with the organisation chosen this year as one of the event’s charity partners.
It is hoped that the numbers will at least match the 100 runners that made up Team Harry last year, and there’s a discount on the entry fee for anyone registering to run on behalf of the team.
Members of Team Harry will also receive a T-shirt for the race, and will be invited along for a buffet and refreshments at the Midsummer Tap at the end of the event. Milton Keynes business The Good Gym MK is once again supporting Harry’s Rainbow and runners will be invited to join the gym’s running club on Monday evenings free of charge as part of their training.
Alison Johnson, Fundraising and Events Manager at Harry’s Rainbow, said:
“There are options of 5k, 10k, half-marathon and 20 miles and if any runners sign up to Team Harry they will receive 15% off their entry fee, they just need to register with us and they’ll get a QR code for the discount and so that we can send them a T-shirt.
“In all, Harry’s Rainbow has helped 936 children in the local area, and is currently supporting 573, with 171 registering with us in 2024, up from 149 in 2023. Th is just goes to show how much we need to raise to continue our work and how important getting involved in events like this is to our charity.”
Harry’s Rainbow supports children and young people in Milton Keynes and the surrounding areas who have lost a parent or sibling. It was founded in 2011 by Odette Mould and her family in memory of her son, Harry, who died when he was five. Harry was a twin and, aware of the effect losing her twin brother had on her daughter, Jessica, Odette saw the need to provide support for children in the same position.
The charity provides information and guidance through its website and social media sites, organises support groups, activities and trips, and offers individual, tailored support where it is needed.
“We are so grateful to The Good Gym MK for supporting us again this year, and to Jimmy from Everyday Performance Therapy who will be at the end of the race offering massages to the tired runners in return for a donation, which will also go to Harry’s Rainbow. We’ve also been supported by Nutshell Creative, a marketing agency that is helping us with some of the promotional work we’re doing. So, a big thanks to those companies, and to anyone who registers for Team Harry – your support is so important to us.”
The Milton Keynes Festival of Running will take place on March 16, starting from Xscape in the centre of the city.
Find out more about Harry’s Rainbow on the website and Runners can email fundraising@harrysrainbow.co.uk
