Wells Festival of Running and Grant Awards

IIn partnership with the Wells City Harriers, Wells Rotary helped to organise and stage the Wells Festival of Running in 2026.

Held on Sunday May 24^th over 900 runners participated in a number of races that included a 10K and 5k road run, a 1.5K run around the City and a 8 and under’s race on the Cathedral Green.

Adding to the festival atmosphere there was a mix of craft, food and drink, and activity stalls all on the Palace Green and Town Square, including a hot air balloon display alongside the stall promoting the Wells Rotary Summer raffle. First prize was a hot air balloon ride for 2, second was a flight simulator experience at Gloucester airport, and third a £150 travel vouched donated by Miles Morgan Travel of Wells.

The event raised over £7,000 after all costs that will be used to support localgood causes with a focus on youth and health. Well done to all involved, a big thankyou to all the runners who participated and a special thankyou to the stall holders and supporting orhganisations including Wells Scouts, the Wells and Mendip Vale Carnival Clubs and Henton Church volunteers. Close on 40 volunteers supported us with the marshalling and registration duries.

Wells City Mayor Denise Dennis joined us on the following Monday to draw the winning raffle tickets.

With the dust now settled and with running shoes and crowd control barriers safely stowed away for another year, the final accounts for the event show the Festival of Running to have generated a net return of close to £7,000. These funds are available for grant awards to local organisations undertaking projects in support of the local community with an emphasis on youth, mental health and physical fitness, and outdoor pursuits.

Grants currently awarded by the team include:

• Rotary kids out
• The Wells Skatepark project, and
• The Dulote Strawberry Line picnic site

Funds remain available for other appropriate grant awards.  Decisions on grant awards are made by a committee appointed by and drawn from members of the Wells Festival of Running organising committee and Wells Rotary Club. Grant applications should be submitted via any member of Wells Rotary.
 

Award Criteria and Grant Applications

1)   Organisations local to Wells with a focus towards:
 

1. a) improving health and fitness through running and outdoors activities for all generations
2.  
3. b) supporting disadvantaged and homeless young people
4.  
5. c) encouraging youth participation activities
6.  
7. d) improving the mental and physical wellbeing of young people
8.  
9. e) supporting young people addressing challenging circumstances

are eligible to submit applications for grants.
 

2)  Applications are free format, to be in writing and should set out what the intended purpose of the grant award is and what the expected outcomes are.
 

3)  Specifically, grants will not be awarded to individuals seeking financial support and/or sponsorship for activities/challenges.
 

4)  Awards to any one organisation are  capped in any one calendar year at £1,000.
 

5)  Recipients must agree to both Wells Festival of Running and Wells Rotary making public announcements in respect of the award and agreeing to report back to both organisations within 12 months of grant award on the outcomes resulting from the grant award.