Nearly 300 runners will toe the line for the first race of the EY Easter Running Festival this year.
A mix of local and visiting runners will take part in the 5k race from L’eree to Vazon on Good Friday morning.
Some will have signed up for the whole weekend’s offering which includes four races over the bank holiday weekend.
The ‘full course’ cross country at L’ancresse Common takes place on Saturday morning, before a ‘fun’ relay race at Delancey Park on Sunday morning. A 10k road race from Grandes Rocques to Northside closes the weekend on Easter Monday morning.
The road races starts at 10:00 on Good Friday and 09:00 on Easter Monday. Volunteer marshals and Civil Protection will be on the roads to guide runners and traffic.
Runner numbers can be collected from Footes Lane this evening or before the first race on Good Friday morning. Local runners are asked to collect theirs tonight if possible, to free up the number collection team to hand out visitors’ numbers tomorrow morning.
This year, Guernsey Athletics Club and EY have decided the Easter running festival will raise money for Bright Beginnings.
The charity supports local families through pregnancy, birth and beyond.
During the relay race on Easter Sunday, the team from Bright Beginnings will be hosting a cake sale and refreshments stand for runners and spectators to buy and enjoy. There will also be a gazebo in place, weather dependent, to provide shade for breastfeeding mothers and baby changing.
The relay race takes place at Delancey Park, starting from 10:00 for junior runners and from 10:30 for the main festival event.
The relay race comprises 4×1 mile laps, with each runner taking on the same loop of Delancey Park. Each loop will take runners past the Bright Beginnings centre at the old St Sampson’s School site.
Lisa Blondel, Chief Executive Officer at Bright Beginnings, will be on the refreshment stand throughout the morning to feed the hungry runners and help raise awareness of how Bright Beginnings supports local families.
“At Bright Beginnings, advocating for the physical and mental wellbeing of children and families is at the core of what we do. We’re passionate about supporting children to be happy and healthy in order to have the best opportunities in life, whilst also helping to reduce the social isolation new parents often face. Having the opportunity to work with the EY Easter Running Festival, a wonderful and inclusive family-oriented event that prioritises the physical and mental wellbeing of our local community, felt like such a natural fit for us. We look forward to fueling the runners and spectators on the day!”
Ove Svejstrup, Assurance Partner at EY and a regular participant in the EY Easter Running Festival, said: “One of the things which makes the EY Easter Running Festival such a special event is the strong sense of community that every person plays their part in creating. Having the opportunity to team up with Bright Beginnings, who embody this with the incredible work they do in our local community, is a privilege. Whether you’re participating in one of the races, volunteering, or spectating and cheering from the side lines, make sure you pop along to enjoy a sweet treat from the refreshment stand and donate anything you can to such a wonderful charity.”
If you are a keen baker and want to support, you can find all the details you need HERE.