Sunderland running club put festive feet forward for toy appeal

There may not have been snow but there was dashing as members of a Sunderland running club put their festive feet forward to run 10k for The Salvation Army’s Christmas Present Appeal. 

In what has become an annual Christmas tradition, The Silky Striders took part in a fun 10k through Sunderland earlier this month, starting and ending at Millfield Salvation Army in Rutland Street to raise funds for the toy appeal. This collects new gifts for children whose families are already making impossible choices between food, heating, and bills. 

Around 50 people took part in the run, each paying £10, and with added donations, raising more than £1,000 for the church and charity. They also brought donations of toys, clothes and food to help ensure hundreds of children across the city have gifts to wake up to on Christmas morning.

Paul Adams, Bandmaster at Sunderland Millfield who is a member of Silky Striders with his wife Lesley, said: “Everything that’s collected by the Silky Striders is given towards the community work and particularly the Christmas appeal in Sunderland. They pay a suggested donation of £10 to take part. Most of them are runners but we also have walkers joining us for a shorter distance so we can all finish together at The Salvation Army hall. 

“It’s not a run where everyone has to break their necks to run fast, we run for a couple of kilometres, then stop and regroup, have a chat and move on, so everybody starts and finishes together and nobody gets left behind. 

“People wear tinsel, Christmas jumpers, hats, and there might be the odd Santa suit! We do get people stopping us, asking what it’s all about and donating, and cars going past pip their horns in support of the group. People are very kind at this time of year.

“This is all about community and engaging with people. As an organisation we are aware of how much need is out there, and there are families across the city who are really struggling. As items come in, they get sorted into age groups for onward distribution. As a running club, we’re really pleased to be able to do this to help.” 

The route took in the Spire Bridge, the Stadium of Light and the new Keel Crossing bridge, ending at Millfield church, where they were greeted by the Millfield Salvation Army Band, and hot tea and sandwiches before joining with the local congregation in a carol service. 

The toys are taken to The Salvation Army’s Austin House Community Centre in Southwick, which acts as a hub for presents collected by the city’s Millfield, Monkwearmouth and Citadel churches, and Swan Lodge Lifehouse (supported accommodation for people experiencing homelessness). From there they are distributed to children across the city via agencies like schools, social services and health workers. 

Jon Doyle, church leader at Sunderland Millfield, said: “We’re so grateful to The Silky Striders for their ongoing support to the Corps and to raising funds for the Christmas appeal. The donations are distributed via Austin House to the some of most vulnerable children across the city ensuring that they can experience the joy of Christmas on Christmas morning. 

“This year we also had support from Revelstoke Road Children’s Home with two of their residents attending with a staff member to present several shoeboxes of gifts for the appeal. Without the efforts of fundraisers and donors like these we wouldn’t be able to meet the need so thank you to everyone involved!” 

The Silky Striders, set up by Paul and Michelle Mustard, has an inclusive ethos where no runner is left behind and a motto of ‘doing what we love’. For more information on the group search for them on Facebook.