What's stopping you from making a difference?
The thought of taking on a challenge to raise money for a charity, no matter how much that charity means to you, can feel a bit daunting. Especially when it comes to taking on a challenge like running the Yorkshire 10 mile for AAM. Did you see how we snuck that one in there? Sorry! Over the years we’ve worked with loads of fabulous fundraisers who’ve all felt like that but have said yes anyway. We thought we’d try and answer some of the top things that might be going through your mind right now so you can say yes too!
Why would I want to run for AAM?
In 2018 AAM supported over 700 people, including disabled adults and young people, older people in residential care and people with mental ill health. Our programmes help people develop the skills and confidence to connect with their local community and have more of a say in the things that matter to them. All while having a huge amount of fun.
Last year we cheekily asked Jane and Richard from Maraid (the lovely team who built our fab website for us) to run the Yorkshire 10 mile. Thankfully for us they said yes, and they went on to smash their fundraising challenge. We asked Jane what it was that made her want to run for us:
“I've seen first-hand the brilliant work AAM do. And mistakenly told them I had been running - ha-ha! By giving up a couple of hours of my time I could help in some way - that made me very happy.”
Another of our 10 mile runners last year was Andrew. Andrew’s daughter is a member of our Hands & Voices choir, so his reason for running the Yorkshire 10 mile for us was a personal one.
“I was very glad to help raise funds. Esther loves Hands and Voices and it is a great help for her wellbeing. We love the lack of inhibition of the group, especially in performances.”
I couldn’t run that far!
Many of our 10 mile runners had never run that far before either. And for some of them, it’d been quite a while since they last laced up their trainers and pounded the pavements. But with the right training and support, it really is possible. And it’s completely OK to walk and run your way round, getting across the finish is really all that matters. Our past runners certainly didn’t find it as bad as they’d initially imagined:
“Do a bit of training, eat well the day before and in the morning. Don't try to go too fast. Enjoy yourself - the atmosphere is amazing!”
“I wanted to enjoy the run on the day so knowing I could complete it was key. I got up to 8 miles in my training so I was confident with the encouragement on the day I could reach ten miles. And I did! Go me!”
I couldn’t raise that much money!
The thought of raising £150 can feel a bit daunting at the start but with our support, you really will make it. We haven’t had a runner yet who hasn’t. We can give you top tips on how to fundraise and share your story on our social media to give your fundraising efforts a boost. Did you also know that many employers offer a matched donation scheme? It’s worth speaking to your employer to find out if they’d help with your fundraising by matching the amount you raise.
Fancy taking up the challenge?
This year’s Yorkshire 10 Mile is on Sunday 22nd October. Whether you’re a seasoned runner or someone looking to push their distances, we’d love to have you on the team. All we ask is that you raise at least £150 for AAM. The Yorkshire 10 mile is a hugely popular race and places fill up fast. Reserve your AAM race place by filling out your contact details using the form below. We’ll get in touch and let you know more about becoming an AAM fundraising hero.
Yorkshire 10 mile sign-up form