Why we were on the lanes of Upper Poppleton this Saturday

Saturday 23rd May saw the 5th annual Millie Wright Children’s Charity 5K and 10K Fun Run roll through the country lanes around Upper Poppleton and York Vikings Rotary member David Fatkin was out there in hi-vis, marshalling runners through, with his wife Helen helping out alongside him for the full day.

Hundreds of runners, families and supporters from York and across North Yorkshire turned up to take part, many in fancy dress. Westfield Lane, Broad Lane, Newlands Lane, Common Croft Lane and Ouse Moor Lane all closed for the morning, with the day finishing in refreshments, live music and a community celebration on the village green alongside the Lord Collingwood and White Horse pubs.

About the cause

The Millie Wright Children’s Charity was founded by Nigel and Ceri Wright in memory of their daughter Millie, who died in August 2021 at the age of 13 after complications from an auto-immune condition.

The charity’s mission is simply stated: addressing inequalities in charitable support for children with life threatening conditions.

Based at Leeds Children’s Hospital, the charity:

• Funds family support workers for families facing a child’s life-threatening or medically complex diagnosis
• Runs the #feedtheparents initiative, which has been feeding parents at the hospital since 2022
• Provides practical, financial and emotional support to families and carers in some of the hardest moments of their lives

Why marshalling matters

Charity events on this scale don’t run without volunteers. Junctions need staffing, runners need directing, and organisers need people they can trust to stand at the right corner for two hours. It’s an unglamorous role and it’s exactly the kind of thing Rotary exists to do.

A huge thank you to David and Helen for giving up their Saturday to represent the club, and a huge well done to the Millie Wright Children’s Charity team for putting on another brilliant event.

To learn more about the charity, visit millieschildrenscharity.org.