Run Bacchus racks up £6,500 and counting for The Benevolent

By Jo Gilbert

Published: 12 September, 2019

Thirty members of the trade are celebrating a winning fundraising effort for the UK’s drinks charity.

Keen runner beans took to the North Downs area of Sussex on Sunday for Britain’s answer to the Marathon du Médoc.

The event started and finished at Denbies Wine Estate near Dorking, Surrey, with half the course taking place inside the estate and the other half passing through National Trust countryside and woodland along the Pilgrims Way and North Downs Way.

Since its launch, Run Bacchus has become “England’s own wine marathon”.

Several refreshment opportunities (including wine) and live bands lined the 13.1-mile route, which inspired members of the trade as well as English wine enthusiasts to don their running trainers.

Familiar faces include Peter Richards MW, Lucy Marcuson, Jacob Leadley, Charlie Holland, Elliot Awin, Mark Harvey, Ruth Spivey as well as a team from Ridgeview.

A number of 10k runners also put in good efforts, including Mathew Johnson, Elisabeth Else, Rupert Millar and Joanna Sykes.

Wine GB reports some stellar performances from the trade on the day including Nik Darlington who finished 12th overall and Susie Barrie MW who came 23rd and was the 4th female.

Marketing director Julia Trustram-Eve said: “It was great to see a glorious mix of wine trade and our own industry running the distance and raising money for The Benevolent. Let’s get even more involved for next year and beyond! We promise to provide more footspas for tired feet at the end! Helen Chesshire was an absolute legend in providing the much-needed Epsom salts and aromatics and soothing foot massages as well. Well done all! Here's to Bacchus running 2020.”

Peter Richards MW, who headed up the wine trade team, added: “Susie and I are so proud of all our team, each of whom took on a significant personal challenge to support the excellent work of The Benevolent. This was a fun day but with a serious purpose. Huge thanks to everyone who ran or who came along on the day. We are very grateful for, and appreciative of all the wonderful support. This kind of supportive, collaborative, constructive spirit is exactly what the Benevolent, and #NotAlone campaign is all about.”

The team is currently £6,500 into a £10,000 fundraising target in order to support The Benevolent’s helpline which was set up in 2017 to provide confidential access to support mental health and wellbeing issues on 0800 9154610.

To help them reach their target, head to justgiving page https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/runbacchusrun

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