Twenty-seven game women, representing the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (including Teresa Dent, the charity’s chief executive), joined 17,500 other women to take part in the Adidas Women’s race in Hyde Park, London to help raise important funds for Breakthrough Breast Cancer as well as the Trust’s own influential conservation research.
In total the GWCT girls, who travelled from all corners of the country to take part in the biggest women-only fun run, raised in excess of £24,000 for these two important charities.
Mel Dellow, who organised the GWCT’s women-only team said, “It was such an emotional occasion and many of our competitors achieved some amazing personal ‘bests’. For example, Carrie Duncan from Hertfordshire flew around in just over 22 minutes and was well ahead of Denise Van Outen and Fatima Whitbread and only a minute behind the fastest 50 elite runners. The inclusion of British eventing coach Christie Wright, from Northampton in the team, was also a remarkable achievement as she gave birth to her son just three weeks before the race. How she managed to juggle feeding and be fit enough to run was extraordinary.”
To give individual counties an added incentive to raise funds for the race, the GWCT offered a special prize to the county committee that achieved the largest amount of sponsorship. After the event, the prize was awarded to the North Yorkshire committee who raised nearly £4,000 for its three-running sisters, Lucy, Thea and Arabella Hoskyns Abrahall.
Teresa Dent, chief executive of the GWCT was delighted with her final time of 32 minutes, she said, “This was a great occasion and was a great opportunity to up our fitness levels. It was huge fun and we all hope to take part next year. We are particularly grateful to Strutt & Parker who kindly sponsored our evening dinner and accommodation on the night before the race.”
For further information about the race or to sign up to join another GWCT race team in the future, please contact Mel Dellow on 07738 320339 or email mdellow@gwct.org.uk.
Christie Wright (front left), Mel Dellow (third front left) and Teresa Dent (front right) joined 17,500 other women who took part in the Adidas Women’s race in Hyde Park, London.
