Welbeck fun run raises more than £2,400 for Bassetlaw’s young people charity

Around 250 participants have helped to raise over £2,400 for Focus on Young People in Bassetlaw in a ‘hugely successful’ fun run around Welbeck Estate.
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On Sunday August 1, Focus on Young People in Bassetlaw (FOYPIB) hosted their annual 10km fun run at Welbeck Estate.

The fun run, which also welcomes walkers, has been held for over 12 years, with the money raised from registration fees going towards grants for young people in Bassetlaw.

Despite the event usually taking place in the slightly cooler month of May, the weather was still perfect for the runners, and Noelle Barron, the development manager at FOYPIB said it was a “hugely successful” event.

Around 250 participants joined the fun run around Welbeck EstateAround 250 participants joined the fun run around Welbeck Estate
Around 250 participants joined the fun run around Welbeck Estate
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Noelle, who has worked for the charity for almost seven years, said: “It’s a really well supported event, and over the years it has really gained momentum. It’s really brilliant, we had a fantastic day.

“There was a boy who ran it who was five, then we had probably about 20-30 young people take part, and the rest were various ages right up to people I would say in their 70s and 80s.”

The event was kindly sponsored by the Rotary Club of Worksop and the Worksop Dukeries Rotary Club, that helped fund the first-aid cover and the cost of the medals which go to each participant.

Families came together to walk around the 10K routeFamilies came together to walk around the 10K route
Families came together to walk around the 10K route

The charity, set up 25 years ago, has helped to fund a range of young individuals and services that work with young people, such as: the setting up of Worksop’s weekly Junior Parkrun, helping young GB athletes to buy equipment, and to child counsellors and mental health workers.

“Our criteria is really wide, it’s not just sport or the arts, it’s the whole wellbeing of the child or the young person,” said Noelle.

Over the pandemic the charity, run by two staff and a board of trustees, saw a decline in grant applications due to less activities, and so Noelle began to diversify the charity’s work further from just offering grants.

She added: “I managed to get some emergency Covid funding from Notts County Council, and through the Covid period we were sending out wellbeing packs to young people that were identified by social care or youth clubs and groups.”

The charity gave out over 1200 packs out to young people that were leaving care, homeless or seeking refuge.

“It is really difficult even without the pandemic to get funding, but we've supported thousands and thousands of young people over the years,” Noelle said.

“I think the charity gives opportunities to young people to develop and be the best that they can be and achieve their goals.

“For some young people, they just need that step up to be able to reach their full potential.”

The charity has awarded more than £100,000 in grants to young people and services across Bassetlaw and accepts applications all year round.

Next year’s fun run has been provisionally booked for May 2022, and a charity golf competition on Saturday September 9 is now available to register for.

For more information on Focus on Young People in Bassetlaw, events, or applying for grants, visit their website at www.foypib.org.uk