Emmaus Village Carlton celebrates personal achievements through a month of running

Emmaus Village Carlton has celebrated a month of personal achievements after companions, volunteers, staff and supporters took part in two local running events, the Bedford Running Festival and Bedford Charity Chase.

Bedford Running Festival

The team took on the 5K, Twilight 10K and half marathon at the Bedford Running Festival at Russell Park on 4th and 5th September, with companions setting themselves personal goals and challenging themselves to achieve something that, for many, was outside their usual routine. Despite the heat and demanding conditions, the team embraced the challenge and enjoyed the festival atmosphere, filled with music, energy and encouragement, while celebrating a tremendous achievement for everyone who crossed the finish line.

Companion Mike took on the half marathon, he said:  “It was my first half marathon in some time and I really enjoyed the challenge and realised I’m not past it yet. Thank you to everyone that came and supported me.”

Emmaus Village Carlton also had a stall at the event. The team met runners, supporters and members of the local community, handed out Emmaus vouchers and information, and raised awareness of the charity’s work.

Bedford Charity Chase

Later in September, the team took part in the Bedford Charity Chase at the beautiful Turvey House. The 8K run and walk brings together people of all abilities and is a great opportunity for local charities, businesses and supporters to come together. Emmaus Village Carlton CEO Donna-Louise took part alongside companion Luke, while other members of the Emmaus team helped with marshalling. The event gave the team another opportunity to get involved, support a local event and take on a new challenge together.

More than just running

For the companions who took part, the events were about much more than crossing a finish line. Setting a goal, working towards it and achieving something they may not have thought possible can help build confidence and self-belief. Running can also encourage positive routines and create opportunities to connect with other people. For companions at Emmaus, taking part was a chance to focus on something positive and recognise their own progress.

Emmaus Village Carlton CEO Donna-Louise said: “I’m delighted that we have taken part in two running events this month. We hope to inspire more of our companions and supporters to join us at these events next year. I am super proud of the companions’ achievements with their running efforts.”

Looking ahead to 2027

We’re already looking ahead to 2027 and are pleased to confirm that we have charity partner places in both events. We’re incredibly proud of what our participants achieved this year and hope to see even more companions, staff, volunteers and supporters getting involved next year. We’ll be sharing more information soon about how you can take part.