Liverpool John Lennon Airport hosted a unique race to help raise a forecasted £70,000 for Alder Hey Children’s Charity.
350 runners of all abilities braved the rain and cold to take part in the first-ever airport runway 5k race, with the mission to fundraise money for medical equipment needed in Alder Hey’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
The airport turned its runway into a racetrack in the early hours of Saturday, November 22, giving runners and campaigners the opportunity to run a one-of-a-kind race.
The event was held at 2am and over £70,000 is expected to have been raised, with all proceeds going toward the airport’s target to raise £86k for their charity partner.
Katy Armitage, Corporate Partnerships Fundraiser at Alder Hey Children’s Charity said: “We have been overwhelmed by the amount of incredible support and are so grateful to everyone who helped to make this special event happen.
“All of the money raised from tonight will be going towards life changing equipment in our new Surgical Neonatal Unit at Alder Hey, helping us to provide the best care and support possible to some of our smallest and most vulnerable patients.”
Airport staff planned the event months prior to take off, working with a tight gap in airline schedules to host the race between 2am and 3:30am, meaning it did not impact normal airport operations.
The 5k race was the length of the runway down and back up, and Ashley Taylor, aged 35 from Preston, and Magdalena Watling, aged 43 from Liverpool, took home the crowns for the fastest male and female runners.
The event was sponsored by a number of partners including, easyJet, aviation security company Wilson James, aviation operator Ravenair and the M&S Bank Arena.
Carol Dutton, LJLA’s HR and Community Director said: “This was a fantastic commitment from the hundreds of runners who came along in the early hours and braved the rain to take part in this unique event, all in aid of Alder Hey and well worth all the effort of so many employees at the airport who helped out on the night giving up their time to ensure the event went so well and helping to raise so much money for Alder Hey.”
Featured image: Robin Tudor, Head of PR, Liverpool John Lennon Airport
