CARDIFF Half Marathon has won the backing of a new main sponsor.
Banking group Lloyds TSB will be the headline sponsor for the 2010 event.
The bank’s support will enable the event to take place on a larger scale. It will promote participation to its customers, and will enter its own team in the event.
Now in it’s eighth year, the Cardiff Half Marathon has become one of the most popular running events in the calendar, with participant numbers growing every year.
Last year the full-to-capacity race saw a record number of runners taking part, with more than 11,000 entering.
Last year’s event was the biggest road race in Wales, and this year the race has the capacity for 15,000 people.
This year the event will take place on Sunday, October 17, and it has a new route starting and finishing at Lloyd George Avenue.
Allan McLaren, head of corporate partnerships for the event, which will now be known as the Lloyds TSB Cardiff Half Marathon, said: “This new sponsorship deal will help Barnardo’s as event organiser to attract new runners and audiences, growing the event and helping raise even more vital funds for charities and good causes across the UK.
“Last year’s Cardiff Half Marathon was a record-breaker, with more than 11,000 registered runners, cheered on by more than 20,000 spectators and TV coverage on S4C and Channel 4.
“This year’s event will be bigger and better than ever before. More than 7,000 runners have already signed up, so we are advising everyone to register early as places ran out weeks ahead of the event last year.”
Huw Morgan, Wales regional director at Lloyds TSB, said: “We are delighted to announce that we will be supporting the Cardiff Half Marathon in 2010.
“We are proud to be associated with such an inspirational event and are looking forward to raising awareness of such a high profile sports challenge that raises so much money for good causes.”
Lloyds TSB has more than 100 branches throughout Wales, employing more than 1,400 and is part of the Lloyds Banking Group, which is one of the UK’s largest community investors.
The group says it is committed to ensuring it has a positive impact on communities across the UK by investing and participating in the communities in which its businesses are based.
It has a strong track record, donating more than £20m a year to good causes through its charitable foundations. In 2009 in Wales, £1.25m of grants were awarded to support the core work of 83 small to medium-size charities.
It is estimated that last year’s Cardiff Half Marathon raised more than £500,000, with more than 150 different charities and good causes benefiting.
For more information visit www.cardiffhalfmarathon.co.uk or join the group on Facebook to talk to other runners and get the latest updates, or follow the event build up on Twitter.
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