My mum was cared for at Trinity Hospice in Blackpool - now I'm taking on a 10k to raise money in her memory

This May, hundreds of people are set to take part in the Beaverbrooks Blackpool 10k Fun Run, organised by Trinity Hospice.

Some will be running for fitness, others for fun, and some in support of the hospice. Last year, Elena Barlow took part in her first ever Fun Run with her husband Andy, a seasoned runner, at her side.

Learn more about the 2024 event here

She signed up as an extension to the 5k she spent three months training for, but she raised over £500 in sponsorship in memory of her mum, Helen “Lenny” Mackay who was cared for at the hospice in 2015.

Elena said: “Mum was nervous about going into the hospice, so she had a visit and we all agreed it was the right place for her to go when the time came. She was in the hospice for about two weeks and the care was just everything we expected and more. The staff were incredible not only with mum, providing the care she needed, but with all of us as well, giving us what we needed and the time to treasure at mum’s side.”

"Everyone is just looked after so well"

Andy, whose own mum Carole Whittaker, was cared for in the hospice in 2012, added: “We’ve had quite few relatives who had been in the hospice and, for me, it’s always been somewhere that we’ve felt very humbled. The care in there is just amazing. Everyone is just looked after so well.”

Elena has supported Andy during his runs in the past, so knew she could rely on the support of hundreds of spectators during her run.

“Everyone really gets behind the runners,” she said. “I knew it would be OK if I walked parts of the route and I knew it would be such a fantastic atmosphere; it’s such a lovely thing to see people encouraging each other, and all the volunteers supporting the event too. I managed to complete the run in not too bad a time. It was such a big achievement. The event was really lovely. I really enjoyed it.”

Because of their experience of the hospice, Elena and Andy have pledged to always support the charity. Andy said: “You don’t mind making a nuisance of yourself asking people to sponsor you and give you money when it’s for the charity that’s at the centre of your heart, even in these hard times; this amazing charity that we’re so lucky to have on our doorstep.”

Justgiving

Elena set up a JustGiving page and shared it on her social media and in her workplace. She said she was overwhelmed with people’s generosity. “I put what I thought was a reasonable target and over time we just nudged it up a little bit,” she said. "JustGiving made it so much easier to fundraise – as soon as we set our page up it was just a case of sharing it and watching the money come in.”

The Beaverbrooks Blackpool 10k Fun Run takes place on Sunday 12th May. Sign up at www.blackpoolfunrun.co.uk.