The team behind the Middlesbrough Runs have announced that Zoe’s Place Baby Hospice will be the event’s official charity partner in 2026, building the legacy of local legend Alastair Brownlee. The ‘Voice of Boro’ was patron of the Middlesbrough hospice and his family have continued to support the charity, while one of the races at the event carries his name. Zoe’s Place will recruit fundraisers to take part in the Ali Brownlee 5K, Middlesbrough 10K and Paula Radcliffe’s Families on Track, which will all be held over the weekend of 29-30 August.
The 2026 Middlesbrough Runs will be organised by Events of the North, in partnership with Middlesbrough Council and Everyone Active. On Saturday 29 August, Paula’s Families on Track will come to Albert Park. The event is the brainchild of athletics legend Paula Radcliffe and gives family groups of all ages the opportunity to get active together by completing a 10K relay in a controlled and safe environment. The Ali Brownlee 5K and Middlesbrough 10K will both be held on the morning or Sunday 30 August, following routes around the town. 2026 marks the 10th anniversary of the death of ‘Voice of Boro’ Alastair Brownlee, and organisers will be working closely with Ali’s family to celebrate his life and legacy through the Middlesbrough Runs, and to raise funds for Zoe’s Place.
Zoe’s Place Baby Hospice supports babies and young children who have life-limiting and life-threatening conditions, from birth to age five. The charity works to ensure that those accessing the services at the hospice can enjoy the best possible quality of life making each day count. The Middlesbrough based hospice offers respite, palliative and end of life care for children, as well as support that delivers accessible, memorable experiences for the whole family, enabling them to live life to its fullest. Zoe’s Place provides its services completely free of charge and relies heavily on donations from the public to continue offering its services. As official charity partner, the hospice is looking for runners to take part in the 5K and 10K and will be working with Events of the North and the Brownlee family to encourage other runners to support Zoe’s Place.
Steve Cram of Events of the North comments: “The team at Zoe’s Place Baby Hospice does an amazing job to support children and their families, who are dealing with the most challenging circumstances imaginable. We’re so pleased that we are able to back that work through the Middlesbrough Runs, and it’s great that Ali’s family is getting so involved in helping us to promote that and encourage runners to support Zoe’s Place. I look forward to seeing loads of fundraisers on the start line of the Ali Brownlee 5K and other events in August.”
Rachel Bareham, senior events and community fundraiser at Zoe’s Place Hospice, adds: “We are thrilled to be partner for this year’s Middlesbrough Runs events. We have 40 charity places available across the Ali Brownlee 5K and the 10K and would love to hear from anyone who would like to run for Zoe’s Place, including anyone who already has an entry.
“Running costs for the hospice over the next year are expected to be in excess of £1.9 million, which is more than £5,000 a day. As a small local charity, we rely heavily on the generosity of the public to raise these vital funds. Runners can make a real and lasting difference, helping us to keep the doors open and provide specialist care and support to babies and families when they need us most.
“In the early years of Zoe’s Place, Ali Brownlee played a very special role. He was incredibly supportive in helping us raise our profile as a new charity across Teesside, generously giving his time and attending our annual fundraising ball as compere. His commitment to Zoe’s Place and the families we care for led to him becoming a patron of the hospice. We remain deeply grateful for the lasting impact he made, and it is wonderful to be involved in an event that honours his name and celebrates the spirit of the town he championed so much.”
Ali’s sister Jeni Brownlee comments: “We are so happy that Zoe’s Place is the charity partner for the Ali Brownlee 5K. It was a charity close to his heart and it would be wonderful to think that 10 years after his passing, he could still make a difference to children and their families in times of need.”
To find our more about running for Zoe’s Place at the Middlesbrough Runs, contact hellomiddlesbrough@zoes-place.org.uk or call 01642 457985. Entries for the Middlesbrough Runs are open and can be found at www.eventsofthenorth.com/event/middlesbrough-runs/
