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Saturday, 5 June 2021
10:30am – 12:00pm

A Run With a Difference – Raising funds in a fun way from the comfort of your own home!

Why do we need this support?

Matthew’s House, like most things in life, costs money to run. Thankfully we have amazing supporters that have always understood this. Without funds we cannot offer the hospitality and hope we want to in the city.

Each year the Swansea Half Marathon is one of our largest fundraising events and has been such an encouragement to our work. The money raised is vital to enable Matthew’s House to keep providing both hope and hospitality that is increasingly needed in our city.

The 2021 Half Marathon has once again been rescheduled to October, but this is an incredibly busy time at Matthew’s House. So…we are going to do the Matt’s House Home Run again!! We had such a great time on the Home Run last year and hope both those that did it last year and new people will come run ‘with’ us this time!

This means that for the second year running Matthew’s House won’t be able to commit fully to the new date of the Swansea Half Marathon. This is because we must focus first and foremost on the most vulnerable people in our city on the hardest months of their year and that is our priority. Which leads us to our Home Run!

What is the Home Run?

The Home Run is what it says on the tin. A run at home which will take one hour for the main event, and we encourage kids to join for the first 20 minutes to make it a real family affair – or longer if they want to! We will ask everyone to join early for a warm up and to work out any tech difficulties, but the run itself will begin at 11am and finish at 12pm. You can run anywhere in your home and it can be in one spot or around a location as long as you can be seen online from a well placed camera.

The event will be organised via a Zoom meeting so everyone will need an account setup (easy to arrange if you don’t have one already) and there are 90 screens available in the “meeting” for the runners. This means 90 households can take part.

The Home Run is for those who can run, rather like jogging – you don’t have to be a super runner! We will motivate each other through our screens and it will be for a maximum of one hour. Each household is one screen, but as many people that want to join in that household can be on that one shared screen.

Some of the event will go out live on Facebook and YouTube, so we can share what we’re doing with as many people as possible and hopefully get some cracking donations for Matthew’s House.

To enter the Home Run we are asking for a £10 Donation.
To enter the Family Fun Home Run we are asking for a £2 Donation per household.
When you sign-up to run you’ll receive a link to make your donation

Questions and answers

How old do I have to be to participate?

Any age! if you are under 16 an adult must agree to your sign up, donate on your behalf and be present for your run.

Can others in my household join in?

Yes, anyone is welcome on your screen! You sign up for the screen but the whole family, including your dog and parrot can run with you. Your fundraising page can also be a family one or a single one! Members of your household, such as children, can also just join for the first 20 minutes, or the whole hour.

I am worried about Zoom & Sponsorship page setup. Will there be help provided?

Yes this is absolutely possible and we can talk you through it on a phone. However we are super busy with serving over 300 guests a week as well as getting going on some exciting future plans so please Google or speak to friends and family and practise first. If all fails though, do send us a message on 07708115903.

How much do I have to raise to take part?

Through Just Giving we would love for you to aim to raise £150 each screen. But there really is no limit, but every single penny matters so whatever you raise is a benefit to Matthew’s House!

Will I get a T-shirt for taking part?

Unfortunately we are not able to organise t-shirts this time, but we do have a special secret gift planned for each runner! You’ll have to complete the run to find out what it is! We will also post a certificate to everyone as proof you completed the run for us and to say thank you.

Where can I run, because I live in a small place with small rooms?

Anywhere you can move! The run is totally up to you, you can run up and down your drive, hallway, around a room (although you might get dizzy), up and down the stairs or just on the spot. The most important bit is that you are moving and safe and so there is no distance or speed requirement at all.

Just enjoy it and push yourself if you feel able. The most important things will be your personal safety and camera setup, making sure the camera is still and in one place the whole run – Please test this well. Also remember you have to run within the rules of the government restriction at that time.

Will I have to warm myself up first?

No, a warm-up and cooldown are included in the Home Run! This will be a follow along led by one of the Matthew’s House Team who has lots of experience in this area to make sure you’re fully ready to go in the start and have a bit of a stretch to end.

Will I have to be on camera the whole time?

Yes you will, we want to make sure everyone completes it and make sure that you are with us. It is also encouraging for the viewers as they continue to donate and for other runners who will be watching other runners run with them.

If in the unfortunate event I have an injury or a worry or need the loo what should I do?

Obviously you will need to be confident you are fit enough to participate. We can’t be held responsible for your running environment, but hopefully common sense and the opinion of a few people with common sense will help you.

If you need the loo, that is fine! We will have a couple of online stewards so just let them know. You certainly don’t need to stay on camera!!! But if you’re not back in a few minutes one of our team will call you or your next of kin if we have any concerns for your safety.

If you have an emergency, please message the host or wave your hands until a host has messaged you. We will close your camera and have someone call immediately.

How about music? can I play it in my home whilst I run or through headphones?

You can have music playing quietly in your home, but please don’t wear headphones as we will have commentary running through the hour so for you to listen to and we don’t want you to miss out. If you do have music playing, please make sure you are on mute. There will also be moments where we will want to hear everyone, so please make sure your music is paused before you unmute!!

What if I can't complete the run?

Don’t worry at all. There are a few options for you.

  1. You can have a breather and we ask that you do this by stretching slowly and for as long as you need.
  2. You can walk the rest of the time if it helps to complete the hour with everyone.
  3.  You can grab a chair and take five minutes rest. Please do NOT put your camera off until directed so by a tech host for safety purposes.

Any other questions or worries about the sign up or event, please email thom@matthewshouse.org.uk or message 077 0811 5903