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Join the charity cheerleaders! It’s Cambridge Half Marathon next month, and Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust will be there to cheer on its fundraisers I f you’ve never cheered on the runners at a marathon before, why not make 2025 your year? While runners
experience the joy of a challenge – as well as raising money for a good cause – there’s also something special about being that person shouting encouragement from the sidelines and helping an exhausted runner over the finishing line. The 2025 TTP Cambridge Half Marathon witnessed the fastest sign-up ever – with places going in seconds! This year, Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT) has its largest number of runners yet, with all proceeds boosting the charity’s £14 million public appeal to see a new world-class cancer hospital built in the city by 2029. The Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital (CCRH) – set to be built on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus – will be the East of England’s first specialist cancer hospital. It will bring together clinical and research expertise under one roof, allowing clinicians to detect cancer earlier, treat it more precisely and save more lives. Beyond the finish line Being part of the crowd is a lot of fun on the day. “Everyone gets behind the cause, so the atmosphere is amazing,” says Rebecca Beattie, community fundraising manager at ACT. Ilse Patterson, lead R&D MRI radiographer at Addenbrooke’s, will be taking part in her third half marathon this year. “I ran it for the first time in 2023 and loved it,” she says. “I wanted to make a difference, so last year I raised money for ACT. ACT has a real impact, not only on patients at Addenbrooke’s but on staff as well. As an employee of the hospital, this makes a huge difference.” Ilse says that as a runner, it’s the spectators who make the event – and recommends every runner has their name stencilled onto their running top. “There’s a lot of camaraderie among the runners, but when you’re near the end and getting really tired, hearing everyone on the sidelines shouting your name keeps you going.” the ACT runners, there is a designated ‘cheer point’ in St John’s College, while volunteers will be taking donations at Midsummer Common. To donate to the CCRH public campaign, visit act4addenbrookes.org.uk/cancer . To join ACT at the cheer point, email fundraising@act4addenbrookes.org.uk If you’d like to come along and support
The TTP Cambridge Half Marathon starts at Jesus Green and takes runners to the outskirts of Cambridge along some of the busiest roads, which will be closed on the day. Runners then pass over the river, through King’s College, Queen’s College and past Corpus Christi College, before entering the beautiful village of Grantchester. In the final leg, runners will be taken through the stunning grounds of Jesus College before finishing back at Jesus Green for an electric welcome from spectators. WHERE TO WATCH
FINISH STRONG Runners who complete the event will receive a medal, a T-shirt and a bag
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