Runaway Success for Popular Hailsham Community Race

Hailsham town centre was jam-packed with runners and spectators on Sunday [18 May], as over 1,000 people laced up their running shoes and took to the streets for the third Hailsham Community Run, an event which welcomed people participating in 10k, 5k, 3k and all-inclusive 1-mile runs.

Commencing in Hailsham High Street, the route followed along through Bellbanks Road, Station Road, Old Swan Lane, Mill Road, Archery Walk, St Mary’s Avenue and Marshfoot Lane, before finishing back on the High Street in the early afternoon.

Prizes were given for the top three runners for each of the main races.

Hailsham Town Council, which provided significant funding for the event, partnered with project organisers and specialist management company, Sport Systems, to promote the event. The public turned up in their droves to give support to runners on the day. Mary Laxton and Karen Nicholls took on the roles again this year as Project Lead and Inclusivity Lead respectively.

The Town Council’s funding allocation of £6,000 for the 3K race went towards the purchase of medals, as well as the provision of licences, event planning expenses, publicity materials and other associated costs.

Whilst the main sponsor of the run was the Town Council, other sponsors included Alinker and Colston (1-mile race), The Royal Indian (5K race), Hallmark Glazed Extensions(10K race), Stevens & Carter (inflatable start line), Diplocks Cafe (water stations), Roland Dunn Sales & Lettings (water bottles) and Miss Walls Food (cakes and cookies). Neil Povey DJ and MC played songs in ‘The Beehive’ stage on the day (sponsored by Lightning Fibre), Hailsham United Junior Football Club recruited the marshals needed for the event.

Event organisers are also grateful to Hailsham Rotary Club, Hailsham Roadways, Wealden District Council and Hailsham News for their support from the outset.

“To see our High Street and neighbouring roads filled with so many people was beyond our wildest dreams,” said Project Lead, Mary Laxton. “We set a target of 1,000 runners this year and achieved the goal! The quiet calm of the High Street at 6am soon turned into a hive of activity from 8am and we were ready to receive runners.”

“The whole ethos of the event is about our community and our town, and my heartfelt thanks go to our sponsors – without whom the event wouldn’t be financially viable. I’d also like to express my gratitude to Liam and his team from Sports Systems Ltd, who were up and on site exceptionally early again this year. Plus, our marshals from Hailsham United Junior Football Club and Hailsham Bonfire Society covered the routes and road closures – and the chip and tag plus the medal teams were well versed in speed and effective processing of nearly a thousand runners.”

“Two tail runners from Hailsham Harriers and Seaford Striders ensured that nobody was left behind. Thanks to Darren Gillett and Hayley Cole for their support on the day.”

Mary Laxton added: “I can only describe the whole event as ‘awesome’, and I have already started the planning process for our fourth annual Hailsham Community Run which will be held on Sunday 17th May 2026. The organisation and detail behind the scenes take a phenomenal amount of time, aided by a very large spreadsheet! But the results speak for themselves and now after three years, this is a tried and tested town event which embraces the community, spectators, families, businesses and runners alike.”

Inclusion Lead Karen Nicholls commented: “The 1-mile inclusive run took place with around 130 entries, which was a phenomenal increase in the number of participants compared to last year’s event. It gave out a very clear message of inclusion and accessibility in the community – give individuals the opportunity and they will shine!”