Sixty runners are preparing to take on the challenge of the iconic Oxford Half Marathon this October for an Oxfordshire-based charity, Yellow Submarine. The charity supports people with learning disabilities and autism.
Yellow Submarine supports people of all ages with mild to moderate needs in several ways, from activity days and social clubs to traineeship cafes that help develop employment and public interaction skills.
The charity aims to assist those who leave school with limited life skills that can lead to isolation. They have two social enterprise cafes, one in Oxford and the other in Witney, allowing their trainees to gain work experience in a safe and fast-paced environment.
This year’s event falls during a landmark year, with 2024 being the 70th anniversary of Roger Bannister running a sub-4-minute mile. He achieved this record at the Iffley Road Track in Oxford, which has since been renamed to mark Roger Bannister’s achievement.
Alongside the sixty runners, many Yellow Submarine supporters are expected in the crowds to cheer their team over the line, donning the charity’s vibrant team kit.
Yellow Submarine’s Anna Dashwood, a Café Supervisor, will be among the sixty charity runners and is excited to take on this challenge: “I’ve been working at the Oxford Yellow Submarine Cafe supporting trainees for a year now.
“It’s been amazing to see the positive changes in these young people. They learn so much – customer service skills, the expectations of the workplace, and, importantly, they build positive interactions with peers, staff and the wider community.
“I have chosen to take on the half marathon as a challenge for myself but also to raise money for this charity which really believes in giving opportunities to young people with learning disabilities and autism so they can live life to the full.”
General entries for the 2024 Oxford Half have sold out – in record time – and 13,000 runners are expected to make their way around Oxford on Sunday, 13 October.
However, for those still interested in participating, some charity places are still available through official charity partners of the event. Please visit the Oxford Half website to secure one of the few remaining charity places and run for Yellow Submarine.
