The Friendship Circle celebrates a massive fundraising achievement after members and staff took on the Great Manchester Run.
It was a proud day for The Friendship Circle as over 20 members, volunteers, and staff raised an incredible £10,000 for the charity after completing the Great Manchester Run together.
The group’s members joined thousands of fellow participants on the big day to take on the event’s 10 km run along the streets of Manchester, with support from family members and the charity’s programme leaders including Aaron Lowe and Esty Bruck. Despite their physical and learning disabilities, all eight Friendship Circle members were determined to cross the finish line, with Hannah Levy and Rebecca Rubin leaving their wheelchairs to complete the last 200 metres on foot.
“It honestly meant so much to Hannah when everyone cheered her on during her 10 km,” said Hannah’s brother Yoel, who pushed her. “She had the biggest smile on her face and her hands were in the air because she was so happy. It was so lovely to see! Thank you everyone who supported Hannah. This is a special experience I will cherish forever.”
Fellow Friendship Circle volunteers also included Steven Maskill and Natalie Suissa, who walked with group member Leah Lopian every step of the way as she completed the challenge.
“You could see that completing the race meant the absolute world to Leah,” said Steven. “As well as giving a massive boost to her confidence, she also felt an enormous sense of achievement and pride. It was an absolute privilege for me to play a small part in this.”
Another highlight of the day was when the group met Olympic champion Jessica Ennis, who interviewed Esty for the BBC and highlighted Hannah’s past role as a Games Maker volunteer during the 2012 Olympics.
“We were overwhelmed that so many of our members took on this difficult challenge and raised such an incredible amount of money for The Friendship Circle,” said Operations Manager, Mimi Lyons. “With a growing membership and limited resources, we are currently bursting at the seams.
“This injection of funds will help us to continue to expand our vital services and cater for the increasing needs of our members.”
The Friendship Circle’s next major fundraising event is the Be Beautiful – Be Yourself Fashion Show on 15th September. To find out more and book tickets, contact Beverley Rubin on beverley@friendshipcircle. co.uk or 07771 800 001