Care team line up for Great Manchester Run

Ten members of the Francis House care team are taking part in Manchester's biggest running event.

Two women and one man wearing running t-shirts running on a grassy lawn in front of a brick building — L-R Kelly, Stephen and Jenny are joining care team colleagues in running for Francis House.

It is that time of year again when our incredible supporters are preparing to conquer the streets of Manchester to raise funds for Francis House at the Great Manchester Run.

Kickstarting a weekend of sport is the Junior & Mini Great Manchester Run on Saturday, May 30, giving budding athletes a taste of the Great Manchester Run magic, the day before the main event.

More than 90 participants are lining up for Francis House on Sunday 31, and among them is half-marathon first timer Ollie Drieu who is hoping to achieve a sub-90 minute race.

This year, several members of our very own Hospice care team are stepping forward to take on the 10K race to fundraise for a cause they know so well.

The team is made up of varying running abilities, some have done a race before and others are preparing for this to be their first ever race!

Kelly, a Nurse at Francis House, shared how the group has been keeping each other motivated: “Fitting training in around long shifts and home life hasn’t been easy. We’ve set up a WhatsApp group where we share our progress and encourage each other, which has been incredibly motivating.”

“Our aim at Francis House is to give parents and carers the opportunity to have a well-deserved rest, knowing their loved ones are receiving exceptional care. For this and many other reasons, I’m honoured to be able to contribute some fundraising to this keep this hospice amazing.”

Group of people wearing running shorts and t-shirts running on a road in Manchester — More than 40,000 people are expected to take part in the Great Manchester Run.

The team understand just how essential fundraising is to sustain the services provided by the hospice. Seeing first-hand the impact that donations make has inspired them to take on the challenge and push themselves the extra mile.

Megan, also a Nurse on the care team, explained: “I am aware that we rely on a lot of fundraising and public donations to continue providing care for our children and young people. Being on the care team you truly see how important our service is to the families. Running 10k will definitely be a challenge! I’m looking forward to the atmosphere on the day to keep me motivated to finish the race.”

Our Francis House cheering squad will be there on the day, ready to spur on the team and all of our amazing supporters. Go care team, we know you’re going to smash it!

Donate to the care team fundraiser at: JustGiving.com