OUR CAUSE.
Delivering running activities and Gifting running trainers to the young people living in temporary accommodation in Birmingham.
Read on for why we chose this Cause and what we’ve done so far…
2021
TRY NOT TO CRY WHEN YOU READ THIS (LIKE I DID)
Alongside our tours, we've been providing physical activity sessions for children since Summer 2021.
I sobbed on my drive home after my first work session there.
I felt so sad that some children grow up in a room instead of a home without proper shoes.
But they weren't sad. They were innocent young people who just wanted to run around and play, who needed my help not my pity.
Seeing them run around with flip flops, slippers and sometimes even without shoes was a grounding reminder that running for fun in proper footwear is a privilege.
On a personal level, my parents laid the foundations for me to live a healthy life by taking me to allllll the sports clubs from a young age.
It's one of the greatest gifts they could have given me, feeding into not just my physical and mental wellbeing, but my social life, confidence to run with like-minded strangers around the world and the opportunity to start a business in the fitness industry as an adult.
Not everyone's care givers can or choose to do the same, and the cycle repeats.
We hope gifting young people trainers will allow them to run safely and lay the foundations to keep going.
Thanks for reading,
Lucy, Founder X
2022
AMOUNT RAISED: £1540
I’m writing this on Xmas Eve 2022, in my dressing gown, The Grinch on in the background, taking a rare moment to reflect and write about the best thing we’ve achieved at Run of a Kind so far.
After deciding that gifting running trainers to the young people living in temporary accommodation in Birmingham this Xmas would be Our Cause at the start of this year, I have a tear in my eye whilst writing to you to tell you that…
This week, I handed over 39 PAIRS OF brand new, fit for purpose, wrapped-up running trainers to THE children who have been attending our running sessions this year.
A LOT went on behind the scenes to get to this point.
The joys of running a start-up business include getting a lot of “no’s”.
We reached out to many trainer brands, businesses and charities. We were ignored, received considered “no’s”, and came up against barriers to them being able to help us.
This is a completely normal part of life and business - and I’m not saying it’s not frustrating but every “no” means that a “yes” is even sweeter.
So how about those YESes?
Thank you Sutton Runner for giving us a mega discount on 26 pairs of trainers
Thank you Sports Direct for giving us 10% off the rest
Thank you Hannah for writing to the press and all her contacts, leading to a massive donation from Holly at Resorts World Birmingham
Thank you Jack for running a whopping 12 Half Marathons to raise awareness
Thank you Prit for donating his time and skills for #JackJogs
Thank you Darren for your energy & support in not just our cause but everything we do
Thank you Orla for getting stuck in & creating a video to demonstrate the work we do with the children, better than I ever could have
Thank you Katie for your enthusiasm and help with everything leading up to this
Thank you Tammy for all the work you do with the children who absolutely love you, for caring so much & spending a whole day getting the trainers
Thank you Mike from Run Brum Crew for getting your whole club behind this
Thank you Living Well for bringing this cause to our attention, and funding our initial work there
Thank you to the staff at the temporary accommodation venues who work so hard
Thank YOU for your generosity, money and time.
It’s only thanks to our community that we’ve been able to do it.
Alongside gifting the trainers, thanks to your donations, we’re able to fund ANOTHER entire month of fun running sessions with the children so they get to test their new trainers out!
No more running in dinosaur slippers, sliders, 2nd hand-ballet pumps, scuffed up trainers that aren’t made for running in & boots that are 3 sizes too big.
I got the lovely job of handing over the presents and seeing their little happy faces open them.
I hope I've managed to encapsulate that in the video so that you get to see and feel the effects of your generosity.
Words cannot relay how grateful I am for you. As are:
Sabi age 11
Amatilla age 10
Zanab age 13
Ali age 10
Ismaea age 7
Sabirin age 9
Hamza age 9
Sarah age 8
Sajda age 8
Joao age 9
Imran age 9
Musa age 7
Ruweyda age 7
Sandora age 7
Salid age 5
Maida age 4
Mohammed age 3
Fatima age 4
Bilawal age 15
Troy age 14
Alayna age 13
Jaden age 18
Alissa age 13
Abduljbbar age 10
Meaco age 9
Dawda age 9
Maria age 11
Liza age 12
Kayden age 9
Aliza age 7
Hooria age 9
Salim age 6
Natel age 4
Hoorain age 6
Damon age 5
Hope age 3
Angel age 3
Have an amazing Christmas,
LUCY X
2023
We were able to fund running sessions January - April 2023 via Business Profits from our Jog On Janaury Online Challenge and Very Important Runner Sign Ups, but unfortunately our subsequent Funding bids were declined.
Not giving up hope, Tammy, one of our fantastic Run Leaders, reached out to Dryrobe:
Much to our delight, they donated a Dryrobe Advance through their Warmth Project:
We are now able to host a Raffle within our run-der-ful community to fund our Cause.
Raffle tickets are just £5 each for the chance to win a Dryrobe of your choice in colour and size.
TO ENTER:
DONATE £5 via the link below
Like the competition post over on Instagram and Tag 5 Friends in the Comments for an Extra Free Entry
The raffle winner will be announced LIVE on Instagram on Monday 13th November at 8pm.
GOOD LUCK!