INTERSPORT UK & Ireland partnership updates: Vitality Bath Half Marathon
Intersport UK & Ireland was the Official Sports Retail Partner of the Vitality Bath Half Marathon 2016 and is looking forward to a continuation of the successful partnership.
Intersport is very supportive of the running community whilst encouraging an active, healthy
lifestyle. Intersport has been working closely with carefully chosen events across the UK and
Ireland. The 35th Vitality Bath Half Marathon took place on 13th March, which Intersport was proud to be Official Sports Retail Partner of.
Intersport John Moore Sports in Bath have had a long relationship with the race and the race
organisers, which progressed to an official partnership this year.
‘As members of Intersport, John Moore Sports was delighted to be the Official Sports Retail
Partner of the Vitality Bath Marathon. The event was amazing and perfectly organised and we felt privileged to be part of it – not only did this opportunity enable us to gain exposure in the running world, but we were also pleased to benefit commercially from being part of this fantastic event.’ Rob Moore, Managing Director, John Moore Sports, Bath.
‘We are grateful for all the support that Intersport John Moore Sports gave us and our runners in the lead up to the 2016 race and on race day. Running High Events and Intersport John Moore Sports is a perfect partnership of true independents in Bath, both passionate about promoting running and exercise in our community. We are looking forward to working with Rob and the team for 2017.’
Andrew Taylor, Race Director from Running High Events
About the Vitality Bath Half Marathon
The award-winning Vitality Bath Half Marathon – or the ‘Bath Half’ as it is affectionately known, is one of the longest established and most popular city centre road events in the UK.
The 36th edition of this iconic race will take place on Sunday 12th March 2017, starting and
finishing in Great Pulteney Street in the heart Bath.
The Vitality Bath Half Marathon is the largest charity fundraising event in the South West region and one of the largest single day fundraising running events in the UK, raising over £2.1 million for charity in 2015 alone. The course itself is fast and flat making it suitable for all abilities and it covers a two lap 13.1 mile (21.1km) traffic-free course straddling both sides of the River Avon.
The Bath Half Marathon Fund & parkrun
The Bath Half Marathon Fund, established in 2003 and administered by the Quartet Community Foundation, distributes cash grants to local community groups and charities.
Each year race entrants are invited to make an optional donation to the Bath Half Marathon Fund during the registration process as a ‘thank you’ to the local community for their support for the event. The grants support local sport, play and active lifestyle projects and make a real and
valuable impact in the community.
Significant funds have been raised for many local good causes over the years, including the
funding grant to assist with the set up of the Bath Skyline parkrun which was launched in October 2014 and coincided with the 10th anniversary of the parkrun movement.
Intersport UK & Ireland and parkrun
As an official partner of parkrun, Intersport is extremely focused in assisting to “keep parkrun free”, and supporting parkrun development is a key part in the partnership.
The partnership helps parkrun in the UK and Ireland to continue leading the way in the provision of grassroots physical activity for parkrun on a Saturday and junior parkrun on a Sunday.
Intersport supports the event teams as well as the establishment of new parkrun events, as well as providing essential kit for the Run Directors and volunteers. Intersport also supplies the bibs for junior parkrun across the UK.
Susan Herbert, Head of Marketing at Intersport UK said:
“Intersport John Moore Sports in Bath and the Vitality Bath Half Marathon has proved to be a very successful partnership for all parties involved.
“The connection of the race’s Bath Half Marathon Fund to Bath Skyline parkrun combined with our involvement with parkrun shows that this is a perfect partnership on many levels.
“parkrun is getting bigger with events happening in new locations all the time, and we are proud to be an official partner with the objective to keep parkrun free for all participants who benefit from parkrun in their local community.”
