Eastbourne Half Marathon: Are you ready to take the challenge and help charity?

The Rotary Club of Eastbourne is hoping people looking for a fitness challenge will sign up to wear blue and run for Homes for Homeless, billed by Rotarians as Eastbourne’s biggest charity causes of the new year.

The Rotary Cub of Eastbourne is initially looking for 100 runners to stride out from the starting line in Eastbourne’s hugely popular half marathon on Sunday, March 6.

The club’s ambitious centenary year project is to raise money to house the town’s homeless and those first 100 runners will wear iconic blue Homes for Homeless t-shirts as they set off from Princes Park en route across Beachy Head and back.

They will also be given discounted entry.

Southdown Housing Association has pledged to match-fund the Rotary club’s target of £400,000, to mark its anniversary year in securing and converting a property to provide four dwellings for the homeless.

Already the club has raised £64,000, doubling to 128,000 via that pledge.

Individual runners are being asked to either sign up themselves or to get like-minded friends to commit to running as a group.

Bob Hamblyn, Rotary fundraising co-ordinator, says the Eastbourne Half Marathon is a great challenge for beginners or a training run for those hoping to take part in longer running events later in the year.

He added: “If you can’t run personally or will be away at that time, I’ll bet you have friends or colleagues who are intending to run the London or Beachy Head marathons who would enjoy a modest training run building up to the big one.

“The half marathon website is now open for registrations and our club’s Homes For Homeless campaign is the main beneficiary charity.

“It’s our club’s 100th year and we are hoping to build a team to celebrate and run for our cause.”