After months of planning and preparation, the inaugural Plymouth Harbour 10K (PHR 10K) took place on Sunday 16th October 2022, with 150 runners from Plymouth and beyond flocking to Mount Batten first thing in the morning for the new community running challenge in aid of Devon Mind and men’s cancer charity the Chestnut Appeal.

Sponsored this year by local accountancy firm Bishop Fleming and port authority the Cattewater Harbour Commissioners, the PHR 10K is a new running challenge focused on fundraising and taking in the varied sights and sounds of Sutton Harbour and Cattewater Harbour, in the south of the city. The event is part of the new Plymouth Harbour Runs series, which also includes a half marathon set to take place for the first time in spring 2023. Runners were raising money for Devon Mind and the Chestnut Appeal, to help fund bespoke services to be delivered in the coming months.

The 10K route runs from the ferry pontoon at Mount Batten and follows the water line through Turnchapel, Radford Park, Oreston, and Cattedown, before finishing at Rockets & Rascals on the Barbican. Along the way, runners are treated to sights of the harbour, the woods, industrial areas, and the dazzling Sutton Harbour. We’ve had fantastic feedback about the route already, with runners proclaiming that they enjoyed the “scenic views”, describing it as “amazing” and “beautiful”. With a few hills, changing terrains, and lots of twists and turns, it also provided a decent challenge.

At the end of the run, participants were welcomed to Rockets & Rascals with a spread of coffee, tea, and an array of sweet treats, cakes, and pastries. All runners were presented with an eco-friendly wooden medal designed specifically for this event, a free ticket for the ferry back to Mount Batten, as well as a branded snood courtesy of the Cattewater Harbour Commissioners. Many runners described the finish line experience with great positivity, focusing on the brilliant, friendly welcome from the Rockets team, and the refreshments which one runner described as “unreal!”

The run was organised by Devon Mind and the Chestnut Appeal, both local charities based in Plymouth but working across all of Devon. We’re pleased to announce that as of 10:00am today (Tuesday 18th October 2022), the event had raised a whopping £14,356.14 in donations, entry fees, and sponsorship. This money will go a long way to helping people across Devon who need support with their mental health, with the funds primarily focused on those who are living with, or supporting someone living with, prostate, testicular, or penile cancer.

André Pusey, Marketing & Fundraising Manager at Devon Mind, comments: “I cannot express enough gratitude to every single person who took part in, volunteered at, or otherwise supported the inaugural Plymouth Harbour 10K. From our amazing sponsors to everyone who provided invaluable guidance in the planning stages of this event, we are forever grateful for your community spirit and can-do attitude. We knew the hours of planning, waking up in the middle of the night with worries, and all the ups and downs would be worth it in the end. Here’s to the next one!”

A full gallery of photos will be uploaded and shared later this week. Details of the 2023 PHR 10K and PHR Half will be announced before Christmas. If you would like to make a donation to the Plymouth Harbour Runs campaign or read more about either event, please visit runplymouthharbour.co.uk.