Emerald Mile event will help safeguard future of the parade.
Following feedback from the local Birmingham Irish community, the St. Patrick’s Festival and Parade organising team have announced that they will host the Emerald Mile fun run at the Birmingham St. Patrick’s Parade 2017.
Ahead of the Birmingham St Patrick’s Festival and Kiely Bros Ltd Presents the Birmingham St. Patrick’s Parade on Sunday 12th March, the Emerald Mile will begin at 10am outside South and City College, and will see 250 participants take on a two mile course along the Parade route to raise money for charity.
All money raised through the fun run sponsorship will be donated to a charity or organisation of the runner’s choice, with the £15 sign up fee going straight back to the Birmingham St. Patrick’s Festival and Parade, and there will be a prize for the best fancy dress outfit.
Organised by Tiger Bam Communications on behalf of the Birmingham St. Patrick’s Festival and Parade and supported by South and City College, the team hope that the Emerald Mile will offer something new to attendees whilst allowing the general public to get involved in the fun and help the team raise money to secure the future of the parade for many years to come.
Anne Tighe, Chair of the Birmingham St. Patrick’s Festival Organising committee, explains: “Following the tremendous reaction and outpouring of support on our social media channels, we are are delighted to announce that the first ever St. Patrick’s Parade Day Fun Run will be going ahead.
“The parade is hugely important to so many people, and it is important to us to continue increasing our offering to the Birmingham Irish community each year, despite the recent funding cuts.
“The Emerald Mile will be a great way to begin the celebrations on Parade Day early, and will help raise vital funds for the Parade whilst having plenty of fun! We hope lots of people will get involved with the Fun Run, whether it is signing up to take part or through sponsoring generously!”
Run by a team of dedicated volunteers, the annual celebrations cost over £70,000 to organise each year and are now entirely funded by corporate sponsorship, fundraiser events like the Emerald Mile, and charitable donations from the public.
This year the Organising Committee are pleased to have secured headlines sponsors Kiely Bros Ltd, whose substantial contribution has come at a pivotal time for the parade and has secured the future of the popular community event for another year. Thanks to this generous financial support the much-loved celebrations in the city are able to continue, bringing communities across Birmingham together on Parade Day in 2017 to celebrate this year’s theme, Dancing.
A spokesperson from Kiely Bros Ltd said;“As a family owned, Birmingham-based business, we are proud of both our city, and our Irish Heritage. Kiely Bros employs a significant number of local people, and we are delighted to have the opportunity to both secure the future of the Birmingham St Patrick’s Festival & Parade, and give something back to the local community.”
The Emerald Mile will take place at 10am on the Birmingham St. Patrick’s Festival and Kiely Bros Ltd Birmingham St. Patrick’s Parade Day, on Sunday 12th March 2017.
To sign up to run, visit www.stpatricksbirmingham.com/emerald-mile