Bournemouth, 14 October 2024 – Bournemouth Foodbank is proud to announce a successful collaboration with Sole Clinic as part of their Race for Food campaign. Over 75 dedicated runners from Sole Clinic participated in the Run Bournemouth 10K and Half Marathon on Sunday, 13 October, running to raise funds for the food bank.
The partnership, announced back in May, launched alongside a Crowdfunder campaign, aiming to raise vital funds to support Bournemouth Foodbank’s expanding services. Thanks to match-funding from the Aviva Foundation, donations have received a boost.
Beyond just running, Sole Clinic also organised an auction hosted at the Deus Lodge in Boscombe, Items donated by local businesses and friends of the club ranged from signed boxing gloves by Chris Billam-Smith ––who is a Bournemouth Foodbank ambassador and sponsored the t-shirts for the race—, a weekend camper van rental, gym memberships, Times Sunglasses and much more. The auction, although separate from the Crowdfunder, helped raise additional funds and much needed awareness.
A £10,000 target was reached just before race day. On Sunday, the atmosphere was electric as runners gave their all, with many achieving new personal bests. Bournemouth Foodbank was there to cheer them on from a gazebo near Bournemouth Pier, where staff and volunteers handed out goodie bags to the elated runners as they crossed the finish line. The weather held up beautifully, and the sense of community and joy was undeniable, as everyone came together for an important cause.
In recent years, the need for the food bank’s services has skyrocketed. Data from April – September 2024 shows an increase in food bank usage by 10.9% compared to the same period last year. This adds to a troubling overall rise of over 80% since 2018/2019.
Since April 2024, the foodbank has provided over 50,000 meals, of which more than 11,000 were for children. These numbers underscore the growing demand for support across Bournemouth. The funds raised will be used to purchase a much-needed van, allowing the foodbank to continue delivering food to its hubs and collect vital donations from local supermarkets.
John Saborido, PR and Communications Manager at Bournemouth Foodbank, said, “The collaboration with Sole Clinic has meant an incredible boost to our Crowdfunder which will allow us to continue to meet the increasing demand. The energy at the race was fantastic, and seeing the runners and supporters come together for such a meaningful cause has been truly inspiring. This community continues to show that when we work together, we can achieve great things.”
With just under a week of match-funding remaining, Bournemouth Foodbank encourages the public to keep donating. There is still time to push towards the stretch goal, which will enable the food bank to continue expanding its services and help more families in need. Every qualifying donation counts and will be matched until Sunday, 20 October.
Donate here: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/sole-clinic-race-for-food