SPOOKY RUNNERS RAISE MONEY FOR PARKINSON’S UK

Holme Pierrepont was the place to be for a spooky affair as over 500 runners took part in the Parkinson’s UK Spooky Sprint Challenge to raise money for the charity.
Taking place in the dark, runners dodged ghosts and ghouls around the 270-acre country park at the National Water Sports Centre, and they ran either the 5k or 10k course, with a special 1k route for the under-10s.
Six-year-old Sam Sarrow won the fancy dress competition with his Frankenstein costume. Sam’s prize was a grey cuddly brain cell plush toy called Noodle. The toy features information about how Parkinson’s affects him and his fellow brain cells, making the toy a great way to start a conversation about Parkinson’s.
Sisters Emily and Phoebe Simon, aged eight and six from West Bridgford, took part in the 1k fun run and dressed as a ghost and a witch.
Emily said: “Some of the Nottingham Rugby players came into school to tell us all about the Spooky Sprint and we’ve been really excited about it ever since.
“It was really good fun running with everyone dressed up in Halloween costumes. We enjoyed it much more than trick or treating.”
Alison Lindsey, 34, made the journey from Hemel Hempstead and ran the 10k in memory of her dad who had Parkinson’s.
Alison said: “I wanted to do something in my Dad’s memory, which why I ran the Spooky Sprint. My Dad was an active fundraiser for Parkinson’s UK and he belonged to his local art group. He got a lot of support, especially after my Mum died in 2004 and it was a way to keep active, make new friends and rekindle his passion for art.
“As Dad passed away last summer, I see it as an honour for me to carry on the good work he started. I hope they would both be proud of my achievements and would feel that I was keeping their memory alive for others who knew them.”
The event raised approximately £15,000 for Parkinson’s UK, the support and research charity working to find a cure and improve the lives of those living with Parkinson’s, which will go towards funding cutting edge research.
Paul Jackson-Clark, director of fundraising at Parkinson’s UK said: “The Spooky Sprint was a spooktacular success as we welcomed nearly double the amount of runners that took part last year. It was great to see so many people enter into the spirit of the occasion by dressing up in Halloween style costumes.
“Without the help and dedication of our fundraisers, our urgent work to find a cure and better treatments for those living with Parkinson’s would not be possible.”
The winner of the Schools Challenge will be announced shortly, with the highest fundraising school taking away a Nintendo Wii console and Wii Fit Board for their school.