Published on: 10/08/2026
Love Running Sheffield are encouraging people across the Diocese to take part in this year’s Sheffield 10k to help raise money for S6 Foodbank. Taking place on Sunday 27 September, the run starts at Arundel Gate before making its way up Ecclesall Road, Rustlings Road and Oakbrook Road, where the route loops back round towards the finish line in the city centre via Endcliffe Park and the Botanical Gardens.
The target this year is to raise £10,000, and 80 people from 9 different churches have already signed up to help do their part.
Love Running Sheffield is an initiative started in 2025 after doing a pilot with Richard Pollard, who brought the concept over from Bristol. Based at St Thomas Crookes (STC), the campaign is encouraging any church to take part and encourage their congregations to sign up.
Each year, runners sign up to the Sheffield 10k to raise money for a local charitable cause in the city, with this year’s cause being S6 Foodbank.
This is a local charity supporting people facing financial hardship and food insecurity across North Sheffield, providing emergency food parcels, practical support, and a place of dignity and care for those going through difficult times.
Holly Phipps has been at STC for 10 years and has always been involved in sport and mission:
‘I love running, but the idea behind this campaign is that it’s really inclusive and you don’t have to be a runner to be part of it. Anyone can join in, from a supporter cheering on the start line, people handing out sweets on the route, a fundraiser for the JustGiving page or someone who prays for us. People can walk, they can jog or they can run.
‘For me, running is an expression of my worship and a real witness of my faith. I’m doing something I love and get to share God’s love with others.’
Holly moved to Sheffield in 2016 as a student, before training and working as a teacher for six years. As well as her love for teaching, she has a passion for running coaching with the university and encouraging others to take up the sport.
Supporting those in need in Sheffield is one of the main things driving the team that Holly is a part of at Love Running Sheffield, with The Archer Project chosen as last year’s fundraising cause. For S6 Foodbank, there have been concerns over food banks closing due to a lack of funds, rather than a lack of donated items. S6 Foodbank’s centres stretch across Sheffield from Parson Cross to Gleadless, and Abbeydale to Firth Park; the target this year is to raise £10,000 to financially support this valuable work.
Holly adds:
‘We’d love to fundraise as much as we can for the food bank because it’s such a good cause, but I also think running can be a good tool for social action. Running a 10k is a huge achievement, but for some people it’s about creating a community that does something together, rather than just the running itself.
‘I’ve always been an evangelist, so for me I was thinking about how I can share Jesus in any way. Lots of people seem to be running and it’s something I love, so I’ll share Jesus with my running friends! We’ve done various sporting ministries at STC, like Park Run and Pancakes and Sporty Sundays, so it’s thinking about how we can extend the church out.’
Find out more about Love Running Sheffield: www.stcsheffield.org/loverunning
Instagram: loverunningsheffield
You can donate to their fundraising page: https://www.justgiving.com/team/loverunning2026
