I’m taking on the iconic Blaydon Race to raise money for repairs to a West Boldon church hall

Reverend Paul Barker, the local Rector of the Church of England churches in The Boldons, is set to take on the iconic Blaydon Race as he looks to raise funds for essential structural repairs to St Nicholas Church Hall, in West Boldon

The race, which will be Rev Paul’s first competitive run, is a 5.8 mile run from Newcastle to Blaydon, which is held each year on June 9.

To prepare for the race, Rev Paul has been taking part in the 5k South Shields parkrun but Paul is looking to challenge himself by running a larger distance during the Blaydon Race.

With a target of £5,000, the money will help to secure the future of St Nicholas Church Hall, which is a well-used community space in West Boldon.

It provides a vital space for everything from Rainbows and Brownies to Slimming World, parties, meetings, community coffee mornings and much more.

Speaking ahead of the Blaydon Race, Paul said: “Last year, volunteers from across The Boldons worked tirelessly to redecorate and breathe new life into the hall.

“It has made a huge difference, but we’ve reached the limit of what elbow grease can achieve.

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“Now, we need to tackle the structural repairs that will keep this space open and safe for future generations, specifically the large crack in the wall.

“I’ll not be breaking any records for speed on the day of the race, but I’m determined to finish as a thank you to everyone who has supported our fundraising so far.”

Due to being a local community church, St Nicholas doesn’t receive any central funding for repair work and general upkeep, meaning that the users have to rely on the support of members in the local area to preserve it.

At the time of writing, Rev Paul has raised more than £1,200 - you can view and donate to the fundraiser at: https://www.justgiving.com/page/paul-blaydon-race.

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