The Charities

Each year we choose 3 charities as beneficiaries from the Fun Run, as well as our Festive Walk and Easter Egg raffles. Some charities approach us, others are nominated by members of the club or by local people. A short list is drawn up for interview and evaluation against a range of criteria and the outcome is a balanced ticket of three in which supporters can have confidence.

This year's nominated charities are:

The Meningitis Trust

Meningitis is still with us. It can strike in an instant, but the impact can last a lifetime. The Meningitis Trust exists to help rebuild shattered lives by providing emotional, practical and financial support. Our support is lifelong.

7 year old Levana lost her legs to meningococcal septicaemia when she was just a baby. Today she plays on her new climbing frame and recently won a swimming award at her local club.

Levana has remarkable determination, but without the support the Meningitis Trust has been able to provide, this may not have been possible.

Please support us so that we may be able to continue to support the people who need us.

Visit meningitis-trust.org

The Jennifer Trust

The only national charity in the UK dedicated both to supporting people affected by Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), and investing in essential research into causes, treatments and eventually a cure for the condition.

On average a baby is born every week with the most severe form of SMA and they rarely survive past their first birthday.

By taking part in the Festive Walk, you can help us support the parents of these babies by providing multi-sensory toy packs, specially designed to stimulate the senses of a baby with Type 1 SMA.

More details on jtsma.org.uk

Acorns

Acorns cares for children with life-limiting conditions. This means that we care for children who are not expected to reach adulthood, as a cure for their condition cannot be found.

We provide respite, emergency and end-of-life care and also round-the-clock community support to the whole family.

We have three hospices, based in Birmingham, Walsall and Worcester, designed to be a home-from-home to help children make the most of every day.

Our supporters fund more than 80 per cent of our running costs.

Please get in touch to see how you can help us at acorns.org.uk

In addition, the Lions retain 30% of all monies raised for local/Lions causes, which include our Youth Travel Bursary, coach outings and afternoon tea parties for the elderly, and donations to a variety of local worthy causes which have recently included:

The Knowle Park Festival football tournament
Help for local deaf children
The Solihull Child Contact Centre
Picnic benches for people with disabilities at Packwood and Baddesley Clinton NT Houses
Chernobyl Children's Project Solihull enabling seriously affected children to visit the UK
Fitness equipment for Knowle Park
Outside classroom at Dorridge Junior School
Drug awareness programme at Arden School
The Arden School Ardenaires
And many others.

We encourage all runners to raise money for the charities above, however, if you prefer you may raise sponsorship for charities other than those we have nominated.

It is important you:

Use the Knowle Fun Run sponsorship form, suitably amended
Pay your sponsorship into the Fun Run bank account
Send your paying in slip and sponsorship form together with contact details for the charity
And we will do the rest - claim Gift Aid on your behalf and forward the total raised giving your details to the charity

The Charities

The Meningitis Trust

The Jennifer Trust

Acorns

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