RESIDENTS on St Johns Road, Ilkley, have run the length of the London Marathon to raise more than £9,500 for local charity Carers’ Resource, with the first lap completed by Team GB triathlete Brit Tate.

Thirty households took part on Sunday - what would have been the day of the London Marathon. Their idea came after the launch of the national 2.6 Challenge, which aims to raise the profile of charities that are still running services during lockdown but have a limited opportunity to fundraise.

Each household completed four laps in isolation from the rest of the street, who cheered along from their windows and gardens. Houses were trimmed up with decorations and banners and some families did their laps in fancy dress.

The Cooper family dressed up and dad Duncan was interviewed live on Sky News dressed as a clown. He said: “It’s an amazing charity that provides the support for people who are needing it even more at the moment, so it’s going to a really good cause.”

Other residents in fancy dress included Rick Eccles, who was Freddie Mercury, complete with heels. Jon Scaife dressed as an American footballer, and his wife Rebecca was a parrot, while unpaid carer Kate Rogers dressed as a Mexican.

An unpaid carer is anyone who, without payment, provides help and support to a friend, neighbour or relative who could not manage otherwise because of frailty, illness or disability.

Kate, 52, said: “Me and my family, including the kids, help support my father who is blind and in self-isolation at the moment. Being part of the event was so important – Carers’ Resource is a fantastic charity supporting all carers both young and old, who are very often unpaid and isolated. I feel proud to give back to such a charity that provides so much help for others.”

The event in numbers:

• 26.2 miles target = 88 laps of the street

• 110 miles completed in total, smashing the target

• 30 households

• 100 people

• A few dogs

• One Bob the cat, who always lies in the middle of the pavement and had to be hurdled by the runners

Carers’ Resource community fundraiser Claire Macina lives on St Johns Road and spearheaded the event when she suggested to a few neighbours that they might want to take part in the challenge. She said: “It snowballed from there really.

“I put the 2.6 Challenge to the street’s WhatsApp group and the actual idea for it came from Ruth Ormrod. The WhatsApp group was set up to support one another during the coronavirus, and so much good has come from it.

“The way people threw themselves into this challenge was just phenomenal. We had a band made up of two young sisters, people decorated their houses and gardens, and Brit was so kind to pop down from her house a few streets away to get involved. Andrew ‘Dobbie’ Dobson even compered for us from his garden using a microphone. I am so grateful to live in such a fantastic community with so many caring people who are up for a laugh.”

Triathlete Brit said: “It was amazing. It was such an honour to be asked to support such a great event for a brilliant charity that is supporting carers.”

Carers’ Resource chief executive Chris Whiley said: “Thanks so much to everyone on St Johns Road who got involved in this fabulous fundraising event. It clearly had a fun community feel and the feedback from the street is that they had a wonderful time and saw – at a social distance, of course – so many neighbours they had never met before.

“We know there are unpaid carers living on St Johns Road, and so many people who have donated have commented that we have helped them in the past. There are carers on the vast majority of streets, and we want to remind them all that we are still open and here to support them. If you’re a carer, please get in touch.”

Unpaid carers can contact Carers’ Resource at www.carersresource.org/contact/ or call 01274 449660, 01423 500555, or 01756 700888. The charity also has Facebook and Twitter social media accounts, and a dedicated website for young carers at https://youngcarersresource.org/

Donate to the St Johns Road Challenge via https://www.justgiving.com/team/stjohnsroad or if you want to set up your own challenge please email cmacina@carersresource.org