With the aim of improving accessibility and inclusion, The Great Run Company and the team behind the Birmingham 2026 European Athletics Championships worked together to provide free places to local schools for the Junior and Mini Great Birmingham Run events on Saturday 2 May.
Continuing the fantastic work of a range of partners to deliver the ‘Beyond’ impact plan – a programme created to ensure the platform of the Championships is used to inspire positive, lasting change across Birmingham and the West Midlands linked to this summer’s Championships (10-16 August) – over 1,000 children, including more than 100 pupils from local schools around Perry Barr, participated in the Junior and Mini Great Birmingham Run for the first time as a result of the Beyond programme.
The initiative marked a special edition of the Great Birmingham Run weekend, coinciding with 100 days to go to the European Athletics Championships, which will be held at Alexander Stadium in August.
Thomas, a Year 6 pupil at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School in Yardley Wood, said: “So many other people were there, and we were all running together. It was a huge feeling to be a tiny part of a big event.”
Ellis, who is in Year 2 at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School, said: “I enjoyed visiting a big stadium and being able to run on the big track.”
Sienna, who is also in Year 2, added: “It was a great experience and my mum ran the half marathon, which made it even more special.”
Adult places were also made available for the 10k event and allocated to those who would not usually have the opportunity to take part. The allocation of places was facilitated by Run Together, a national programme from England Athletics that offers fun, friendly, safe and inclusive running opportunities for people of all ages and abilities.
“It was an amazing day at the Great Birmingham Run 10k,” said England Athletics Run Leader Mentor Dylan Gould after guiding visually impaired runner Carly Boswell at the event. “We are so grateful for the opportunity provided. Thank you to everyone who supported us, cheered us, clapped us and wrote funny motivational signs. Carly absolutely loved it. She has never experienced that level of enthusiastic support and the music, drums, cow bells and loud cheering really helped bring the course to life for her as a visually impaired runner. It was so good to see loads of runners from local parkruns and running communities too and we trust that you all enjoyed the day as much as we did.”
Chris Moss, Birmingham 2026 Impact Lead, said: “The Beyond programme has been built to connect partners, create opportunities and to amplify existing initiatives. In this case, it has enabled us to target underrepresented young people and adults from across the city who were given the chance to take part and who might otherwise have been excluded. It’s a brilliant example of our partners working together to ensure we’re connecting local people with inspiring local events and providing community benefit through athletics and running.”
Athletic Ventures, the partnership between UK Athletics, The Great Run Company and London Marathon Events, was created to unlock the full potential of athletics by combining elite sport and mass participation under a single, forward-looking commercial vision. The model spans everything from grassroots running to global medal success, giving partners a unique opportunity to connect with the British public at every level of the sport.
The Birmingham 2026 European Athletics Championships take place from 10-16 August. Tickets are on sale now.
For more about the Beyond programme, click here.