A CHARITY fun run in memory of a teenager who took her own life – which was last year backed by a host of celebrities – is to return next month.
Held in honour of Kezia Mason, the inaugural Run for Kezia attracted 650 entrants last year – with capacity for the 2023 edition to surpass that number when it takes place on Sunday 10 September. Kezia’s father, Rob, said the run, which raised £20,000 last year, would play a huge part in swelling the coffers of a charitable fund set up in his daughter’s memory.
Started by her brother, Ben, in the months after her death, Kezia’s Fund accumulated £100,000 and has recently – in partnership with the Jersey Community Foundation – begun distributing grants to organisations working to help combat mental-health challenges.
Mr Mason said: ‘We’ve had more than 25 applications for grants from a wide variety of charities, so we have seen both the need and the great work that can be done.
‘This year’s event will enable more of this work in supporting and improving the mental health of Jersey’s young people.’
Last year’s event was backed by celebrities including Pixie Lott and Fatboy Slim, who recorded videos encouraging people to take part.
Race director Alex Ruddy said the intention was to get as many runners as possible signed up by 25 August, the deadline for those taking part to get an ‘R4K’ T-shirt.
She said: ‘The event is only a few days after the start of the new term, so we don’t want to leave it until then to get the word round, and hope there’ll be a real buzz around the event over the coming weeks. It’s a really inclusive event – people can run or walk, they can bring their dogs or baby buggies and there are three distances of 10k, 5k and 2k.’
Several babies took part in the 2022 event as they were pushed around the course by parents, while at the opposite end of the spectrum, Kezia’s grandmother, Gaynor Thomas, also laced up her walking shoes.
Further details about the event and how to register are available at race-nation.co.uk/register/run-for-kezia.
