Over 5,500 people in Greater Manchester are homeless.

In Manchester, that’s about 1,800 and in Salford it’s close to 1,100. These are people who have to live on the streets or in temporary accommodation. These numbers do not include the hidden homeless, who survive by staying with friends, family or whoever’s sofa is available that week.

Not only are we struggling with the economic and health impact of a global pandemic. The Mancunian winter is quickly encroaching. Those who are homeless are most vulnerable and will feel the frost the hardest.

Nobody should have to sleep rough on the streets of Manchester

The Manchester 24 Hour Run Against Homelessness was an event set up by members of Run Wild MCR, the social running club at the University of Manchester. They hoped to do their part to raise awareness of this growing issue and raise money for the Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity, A Bed Every Night Scheme. This scheme provides a comfy bed, warm welcome and personal support for anyone sleeping on the streets.

The inaugural event last November 2019 was based around a repeating 5km loop from the Student’s Union to the city centre. Students and runners from around our community ran through the course for 24 hours straight (in relay shifts!). A total of 43 laps were completed with a cumulative total of 1,570km covered by all the runners!

With the support of all the generous donations, a total of £2,826.84 was raised.

This was the equivalent of either:

• 942 hot evening meals
• 282 bedding and toiletries for a person
• 94 individuals provided with a hot evening meal, a safe bed and someone to talk to in A Bed Every Night, so they can get off and stay off the streets.

These are simple things we will often take for granted.

This event was excitedly planned to repeats it’s achievements for 2020. Run Wild MCR had high hopes to even get Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, to join in a lap (but he’s obviously occupied with other pressing matters). However, even with recent national restrictions, this hasn’t stopped Run Wild MCR from organising the event to be COVID-19 safe, to help tackle such a worthy cause.

Lockdown 2020 Format:

Run Wild Run Leaders will be in socially distanced pairs running a 5km course as a relay over the whole 24 hours. Every person completing a lap contributes to the total distance covered.

How about you? How can you get involved?

You can join in virtually (everyone’s favourite buzzword), by recording whatever distance you can walk, jog or run between midday 18th November 2020 and midday 19th November and help us cover the distance between Land’s End and John O’Groats (~1,400km). Submit your Strava run (details on how will be released closer to the day) then mark the occasion by donating what you can to A Bed Every Night.

Help us make a difference to the lives of those sleeping rough in our city.

Event details via facebook or the MCR24hRun website