50 runners raise more than £13,000 for local hospice at Derby 10K
Added by Love Business East Midlands | 1 April 2026
UPDATED: 2 April 2026
More than 50 runners have helped raise over £13,000 for Treetops Hospice by taking part in Derby County Community Trust’s (DCCT) flagship Derby 10K event.
Participants ranged from families with personal connections to the hospice to local businesses keen to give back to their community. Together, they formed a determined Treetops team made up of runners of all ages and abilities.
The Derby 10K is one of the city’s most popular annual events, attracting thousands of participants to its fast, flat route through the heart of Derby’s Pride Park. For many, it’s a personal challenge but also a chance to support important causes close to home.
This year’s Treetops runner teams included the Bear Team, the Mudders, the Sweeties, Pride of Dom, the Sole Mates and corporate teams from Capital One and Certiero.
Lee Francis, who ran alongside friend Simon Halsey as part of the Mudders team, shared why supporting Treetops means so much to him:
“This was my second Derby 10K raising money for Treetops, a charity that means a great deal to my family.
“My great‑grandma Lottie was cared for by Treetops before she passed away, and those memories remind me just how much kindness and dignity the hospice gives to families during incredibly difficult times.
“The atmosphere on the day was brilliant, especially the support around Pride Park. Finishing at just over 50 minutes felt like a real achievement, and knowing we’d raised nearly £400 for such an important local charity made it even more special.”
Certiero Directors, Stuart Flint and Daniel Evans also took on the challenge, raising over £500 between them, an amount the company then matched to bring their total to more than £1,000.
Stuart said:
“I took up running last year and wanted a challenge that also supported a charity close to home and aligned with our values.
“We’d heard of Treetops, but it was only when we started fundraising that we realised just how many people we knew that had been personally supported and impacted by the hospice.
“We were incredibly proud to wear our colourful Treetops shirts on the day, they really stood out and the support and encouragement from the charity throughout was absolutely fantastic.”
All funds raised will help Treetops Hospice continue providing vital end‑of‑life care and bereavement support for families across southern and central Derbyshire.
Alongside the success of the Derby 10K, Treetops has also been selected as Charity of the Year for two other upcoming Derbyshire running events – the Wilne 10k and the Derby 10 Mile, set to take place this September and November 2026.
To find out more about getting involved in events and challenges for Treetops Hospice, visit: https://www.treetopshospice.org.uk/events
