Organisers of the Worcester City Runs have revealed that they are preparing for a record number of entries and spectators this year. With six weeks to go until the event over the weekend of 13 and 14 September, places on each run are selling fast, and people are being encouraged to sign up before it’s too late. In anticipation of the biggest event since its launch, the Worcester City Runs team is working closely with local businesses and other partners on initiatives to add value for runner and supporters and build excitement in the city centre during the event.
Launched in 2014, the Worcester City Runs are organised by Events of the North, in partnership with Worcester City Council and Worcestershire County Council and local insurance broker Sutcliffe & Co. The two day event includes the Worcester City 10K and Half Marathon, Young Athletes Runs, and Paula Radcliffe’s Families on Track. It has become one of the most popular dates on the city’s sporting calendar and last year’s record number participants is set to be broken in 2025, with around 6,000 runners expected to enter.
The half marathon and 10K both follow routes that explore the commercial heart of the city, including the Chapel and Friary Walk Shopping Centre which is the latest organisation to sign up as a partner of the Worcester City Runs. Every year large crowds of spectators line the course to cheer on the runners, and then spend time in the surrounding shops, restaurants and pubs. In preparation for a record turnout this year, local firm and event sponsor Sutcliffe & Co has worked with other city businesses to create a series of special offers for visitors during event weekend – Worcester City Runs & Worcester Music Festival offers – Specialist Insurance Brokers in Worcester – Sutcliffe & Co.
Once again, the inclusive approach to staging the Worcester City Runs is attracting runners of all ages and backgrounds. Along with leading club athletes, each run will see beginners and fun runners line up, including many who are raising money for good causes. Among them this year will be visually impaired athlete Matt Lancett, who will tackle the Worcester City 10K.
Matt has been a keen sportsperson all his life, completing marathons and playing football over the years. In August 2017, he suffered a stroke and was left with homonymous hemianopia, without left-field vision in both his eyes. As a result, he also suffers with headaches, hyper sensations and numbness down his left side of the body. Matt got involved with the visually impaired rugby team at Worcester Warriors, establishing himself as a lead figure in their mixed ability squad. He went on to achieve international selection to tour Japan with the Change Foundation’s visually impaired England team in 2019, followed by a tour to France in 2022. As well as playing rugby, Matt volunteers with Worcester Warriors Foundation, which has arranged for him to coach students at New College Worcester for the visually impaired and blind. Matt Lancett will take on the Worcester City 10K with his guide runner, as part of a team who will be participating in this year’s Worcester City Runs to support the charity Sight Concern.
Matt comments: “I’m excited about the Worcester City 10K as it’s a really fun event with a not so challenging route. The support and vibe that we runners get from people who come to cheer us on is amazing in a city with so much to shout about. Being able to help Sight Concern is fab too. I’m a registered visually impaired person myself and having helped the charity with a couple of events that they have been part of, they really do need the support and recognition for what they do for people like me.”
Worcester City Runs founder Steve Cram comments: “Matt’s story is really inspiring and is testament to the fact that it’s possible to keep participating in a sport even after a setback as serious as a stroke. We pride ourselves on making the Worcester City Runs really accessible and welcoming for anyone who wants to get involved, and this is a great example of that.”
Duncan Sutcliffe, managing director of Sutcliffe & Co, comments: “When we agreed to sponsor the Worcester City Runs, we made it clear that we wanted to do more than put our name to the event. It’s been great with Steve and the team to roll out a series of initiatives that have continued to build the event’s engagement with residents and businesses in the city. We’ve had a great response to our call for special offers, which will add excitement and value to the occasion, and benefit both those who take advantage of them and the local economy.”
Michael Lloyd, centre manager at Chapel and Friary Walk, comments: “We’re incredibly proud to support the Worcester City Runs as a sponsor this year. The event not only celebrates health and wellbeing – both physical and mental – but also brings a real buzz to the heart of Worcester. Thousands of runners, spectators, and supporters flooding into the city centre means increased footfall for local shops, cafes, and businesses – something we’re passionate about supporting at Chapel and Friary Walk. It’s inspiring to see our streets filled with positivity, energy, and community spirit, and we’re thrilled to be part of something that showcases Worcester at its very best.”
Places on all of the events at the 2025 Worcester City Runs can be booked at www.worcestercityrun.com
