Newsdesk

Jamie Carragher

97 Reasons To Run This May

Run For The 97 gears up for Stanley Park return…

A 5K fun run to celebrate and honour the lives of the 97 Liverpool FC fans lost in the Hillsborough tragedy will be held in the city later this month as the eighth Run For The 97 5K gears up to take place on 21 May in Stanley Park.

The event was first staged in 2015 to celebrate the lives of the then 96 Liverpool fans who died in the Hillsborough tragedy on 15 April 1989. Run For The 97 will also now honour Andrew Devine, who sadly passed away in July 2021. Andrew received life-changing injuries at Hillsborough, he died 32 years after the disaster. 

The event last took place in Stanley Park in 2019 and for the past two years has been held as a virtual run enabling people to support the cause wherever they were based. Overseas football fans have got involved during this time – and continue to do so this year.
 
This year’s official charity partners are Jamie Carragher’s 23 Foundation, LFC Foundation, and Everton in the Community. A new charity addition for 2022 is Stanley Park junior parkrun. Together, the four charities support the vision of creating a legacy event to honour The 97 while ensuring local communities benefit through their work.
 
The event has raised over £35,000 for charity since it was first staged in 2015. Everyone taking part is encouraged to fundraise or make a one-off donation, and all monies raised will be split equally between the four charities to support vital community outreach programmes. 

Jamie Carragher from the 23 Foundation explained: “There is great solidarity between the two clubs and the city – and Run For The 97 even takes place in Stanley Park, between Anfield and Goodison. This tragedy affected everyone, and Everton FC and fans have always shown great support. As a city, we’ll always come together for each other and hopefully we’ll raise lots of funds. The 97 will never be forgotten.”

Run For The 97 features 5K and 1 Mile distances to walk, jog or run to remember The 97. On the day there will be family activities, as well as a food bank drop-off point. All participants taking part in the 5K will receive a yellow T-shirt to wear during the run to demonstrate a display of unity and remembrance.
 
BTR Liverpool Race Director Alan Rothwell commented: “Everyone involved with Run For The 97 is delighted that once again we will be able to stand side by side in Stanley Park for this very poignant event to celebrate the lives of The 97 in a respectful and fitting way. We must always remember, Run For The 97 has created a positive community legacy to help keep that message in people’s minds whatever their age.”
 
You can enter online right here.

Image: Paul Francis Cooper/BTR Liverpool

Start Fundraising On GoFundMe

GoFundMe

Previous & Next News

top