The third annual Run For The 96 in Liverpool’s Stanley Park attracted 1,800 Reds and Blues on Sunday May 14 to run in the 5K and new 1 Mile fun runs – making it the biggest to date.

After cheering the runners on for the last two years, Chair of the Hillsborough Family Support Group (HFSG) Margaret Aspinall, took part in the 5K for the very first time. She commented: “What an amazing day. It has a real community feel and raises money for great causes, and I just had to take part this year. The support we receive is fantastic and we have huge respect for everyone who has taken part, especially the little ones in the 1 Miler running in memory of The 96. Everyone should be very proud of themselves.”

Guest runners also included newly elected Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram and Liverpool FC legend Alan Kennedy, who have both taken part for three years.

Also taking part were Liverpool boxer Stephen Smith; original Big Brother winner and TV handyman Craig Phillips; former Emmerdale actor Kurtis Stacey; Milk Tray Man Patrick McBride; Everton fans’ favourite Speedo Mick; Deputy Mayor of Liverpool Councillor Ann O’Byrne; and Alison McGovern.

In the minutes leading up to the start of the 5K, football club anthems You’ll Never Walk Alone and Z Cars played as Reds and Blues stood side by side, before a minute’s applause to remember The 96.

The runners then set off to the sound of The Justice Collective’s He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother. The Farm’s Altogether Now played as the new 1 Mile fun run began.

The community legacy event had activities for all the family, including a donation point for KitAid; soccer skills with the LFC Foundation and Liverpool Homeless Football Club; kids’ yoga sessions; and face painting. Volunteer teams on the day were from Stanley Park Junior park run and Kirkby Milers.

Run For The 96 5K is the brainchild of Dom Williams, who organises the annual Hillsborough to Anfield run. He developed the idea of Run For The 96 with race organisers BTR Liverpool to create a new 5K community legacy fun run as a way of engaging the wider community to run to remember The 96. BTR organise and deliver the Run For The 96 event. A new 1 Mile distance was introduced for this year’s event.

Funds raised and donations through last year’s event totalled £11,252.78 for the LFC Foundation and Everton in the Community, the charitable arms of the city’s two football clubs to enable them to continue their fantastic work across Merseyside – seeing them each receive £5,626.39.

This year, Stanley Park Liverpool CIC has come on-board as a third beneficiary alongside the LFC Foundation and Everton in the Community.

Stanley Park Liverpool CIC is a new enterprise set up 12 months ago to develop links between the park and local community, while encouraging people to further utilise Stanley Park as a community resource.

Together, all three organisations support the event’s original vision of creating a positive community legacy event, and commitment to ensuring that local communities benefit from the legacy run.

The official charity partners of Run For The 96 are the LFC Foundation, Everton in the Community, and Stanley Park Liverpool CIC. Funds raised and donations can still be made by visiting the official Virgin Giving page at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/RunForThe965k