Residents across Hertfordshire are being urged to look beyond lockdown by making a date to join Cancer Research UK's Race for Life in the county.

The charity’s much-loved events are aiming to return to Herts later this year but with socially distanced measures to keep participants safe.

Money raised will help scientists find new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer, saving lives as the charity fights back from the impact of the pandemic.

Race for Life events were cancelled in 2020 due to COVID-19, but ones are planned for Welwyn Garden City, St Albans, Stevenage and Watford this year.

Rhianna Haywood, Cancer Research UK’s spokesperson for Hertfordshire, said: “Race for Life offers the perfect opportunity for people across the region to run, walk or jog and raise money for life-saving research.

“All 400 mass participation Race for Life events across the UK were cancelled last year to protect the country’s health during the COVID-19 pandemic. So this year, more than ever, we need people to enter the Race for Life – for the people we love, for the people we’ve lost and for the one in two of us who will get cancer.”

Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life, which has been in partnership with Tesco for 20 years, is an inspiring series of 3K, 5K, 10K runs, as well as Pretty Muddy and Pretty Muddy Kids, a mud-splattered obstacle course.

Money raised funds world-class research to help beat 200 types of cancer – including bowel cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer, testicular cancer, brain cancer, children’s cancers and leukaemia. 

This year, participants will set off on the Race for Life course either alone or in small, socially distanced groups. Hand sanitiser will also be provided with participants encouraged to use it before and after the event.

Rhianna added: “We’ll ask participants to respect social distancing before, during and after the event.

“But we promise our events will remain colourful, emotional and uplifting. The safety of our Race for Life participants is our absolute priority.

"We’ve been constantly monitoring the COVID-19 situation and have developed ways to ensure our events can operate safely, following government guidance.

"It may be that events look a bit different this year but we are working proactively with our venues and suppliers to deliver a socially distanced but great experience.

“Sadly, cancer touches almost every family at some point. Every step our scientists take towards beating cancer relies on our supporters. 

"That’s why we need as many people as possible across Hertfordshire to join us, to stand united and do something extraordinary to help beat cancer.

“We know that 2020 was a year like no other and we had to overcome many challenges thrown our way during the global pandemic.

"But this past year proves, more than any other, the value of investing in science and medical research and what can be achieved by working together. Just like science is our route out of the pandemic, science is our route to beating cancer. We are absolutely determined to continue to create better cancer treatments for tomorrow.”

Every year, around 35,500 people are diagnosed with cancer in the East of England, and one in two people in the UK born after 1960 will get cancer in their lifetime.

People can visit raceforlife.org to enter. If any Race for Life events are cancelled, people will be entitled to a refund of their entry fee or can choose to donate the fee to help fund Cancer Research UK’s work.

Race for Life 2021 events in Hertfordshire

3K Events in Hertfordshire

  • Stevenage (Sunday, September 5)
    Fairlands Valley Park, Broadhall Way, Stevenage, SG2 8QJ.
  • Watford (Saturday, September 18)
    Cassiobury Park, off Cassiobury Park Avenue, Watford, WD18 7LG.

5K Events in Hertfordshire

  • St Albans (Sunday, August 22)
    Verulamium Park, Holywell Hill, St. Albans, AL1 2DL.
  • Stevenage (Sunday, September 5)
    Fairlands Valley Park, Broadhall Way, Stevenage, SG2 8QJ.
  • Watford (Saturday, September 18)
    Cassiobury Park, Off Cassiobury Park Avenue, Watford, WD18 7LG.
  • Welwyn Hatfield (Sunday, October 17)
    Stanborough Park, Stanborough Road, Welwyn Garden City, AL8 6DQ.

10K Events in Hertfordshire

  • St Albans (Sunday, August 22)
    Verulamium Park, Holywell Hill, St. Albans, AL1 2DL.
  • Stevenage (Sunday, September 5)
    Fairlands Valley Park, Broadhall Way, Stevenage, SG2 8QJ
  • Watford (Saturday, September 18)
    Cassiobury Park, Off Cassiobury Park Avenue, Watford, WD18 7LG.
  • Welwyn Hatfield (Sunday, October 17)
    Stanborough Park, Stanborough Road, Welwyn Garden City, AL8 6DQ.

Pretty Muddy Events in Hertfordshire

  • Watford (Saturday, September 18)
    Cassiobury Park, Off Cassiobury Park Avenue, Watford, WD18 7LG.
  • Welwyn Hatfield (Saturday, October 16)
    Stanborough Park, Stanborough Road, Welwyn Garden City, AL8 6DQ.

Pretty Muddy Kids Events in Hertfordshire

  • Watford (Saturday, September 18)
    Cassiobury Park, Off Cassiobury Park Avenue, Watford, WD18 7LG.
  • Welwyn Hatfield (Saturday, October 16)
    Stanborough Park, Stanborough Road, Welwyn Garden City, AL8 6DQ.