Five-mile race charity donation is Hastings Runners' biggest yet

The amount far exceeded expectations and is the largest single donation ever made by the club.

In June, 529 entrants flocked to the startline by Hastings Town Hall, from the town’s local running clubs as well as farther afield in Sussex, together with a number of individual runners keen to support the hospice in Upper Maze Road, St Leonard’s.

The 17th iteration of the race, first organised by former Hastings Runners member Tony Demarco, literally stopped traffic for a time as the field crossed the seafront road from Robertson Street to the promenade and attracts hundreds of spectators and well-wishers.

This year, the organisation of the event was by a first-time run director Natasha Slow who made the official cheque presentation of the cheque to the hospice at HR’s base, the Horntye Park Sports Complex.

Said Slow: “Anthony Mannion – a former Hastings Runner who now works for the hospice – accepted the cheque on behalf of St Michael’s. It was great to be able to make such a large donation to such a deserving charity.

"Tony Demarco came along, as did and Mike Hall – who took over from Tony as run director before me – and the club’s current joint chairs Nick Webb and Sue Mann.”

Meanwhile, four HR members had a race to run – for Friday night saw the third and final event of the Rye Summer 10k Series.

In the FV60 age category, Debra Van Aalst crossed the line in 57min 19sec, followed by MV60 Mark Dunn (61:37) and FV40 Victoria Prestney-Vaughan (63:48). In the 5k, MV65 Henry Worthington ran 52:51.

Well done also to the large group of runners who entered Hastings’ first ever Run And Rave 5k fun run which started and finished at Hastings Pier.

Hastings Runners welcome new members of all abilities aged 12 and over for fun, training and competitive running. Visit https://hastingsrunners.co.uk