Unipart runners go social distance for Oxford Children's Hospital

Published by

Nicky Godding

A team of runners from Unipart completed their own solo runs for Oxford Children's Hospital after the annual Oxford Mail OX5 was cancelled due to coronavirus.

Scheduled to take place at Blenheim Palace on the last Sunday in March, the five-mile event was called off a week ahead of the Prime Minister’s UK lockdown announcement.

Undeterred, Unipart Accelerators Mk3 used their one form of exercise a day to don their official OX5 numbers and take to their local streets, parks and country lanes to raise money for Oxford Children’s Hospital.

With the grounds at Blenheim Palace still open to locals, one team member even ran some of the official course socially distanced from everyone but his two dogs.

Penny Reason, Unipart Accelerators Mk3 team captain, said: ‘It was a terrific effort from the team. And their dogs! The day was very chilly with a strong wind but also a strong determination to carry on for the charity.

‘I completed the five miles in 50 minutes and 12 seconds, so a bit annoyed not to break the 50, but really pleased we could all take part safely and we continue to raise money on our Just Giving page.’

The team is still raising money for Oxford Children’s Hospital.

Nicky Godding

Nicky Godding is editor of The Business Magazine. Before her journalism career, she worked mainly in public relations moving into writing when she was invited to launch Retail Watch, a publication covering retail and real estate across Europe. After some years of constant travelling, she tucked away her passport and concentrated on business writing, co-founding a successful regional business magazine. She has interviewed some of the UK’s most successful entrepreneurs who have built multi-million-pound businesses and reported on many science and technology firsts. She reports on the region’s thriving business economy from start-ups, family businesses and multi-million-pound corporations, to the professionals that support their growth and the institutions that educate the next generation of business leaders.