Octogenarian runner named Community Hero

Our Norwich City Community Hero for Norwich City’s Sky Bet Championship fixture against Watford is Tim Hirst, one of the top fundraisers for Run Norwich.

With 6,921 runners in this year’s race hosted through the centre of Norwich earlier this month, the Community Sports Foundation had a host of candidates to choose from as our hero for the fixture.

The thousands of runners came from near and far to raise money for a cause close to their hearts, but Tim Hirst stands out for the Foundation because of his determination, selflessness and infectious positive attitude.

Our Community Hero said: “Prior to May 2023, I was running marathons as well as a weekly park run, but a heart operation at Papworth brought all that to a halt.

“Since then, it has been a fight to get back to somewhere near former fitness. I read of the Norwich 10k and decided to push this old body to compete and again at the same time raise monies for CSF to make the effort worthwhile.

“I am truly overwhelmed and humbled at the recognition, thank you to all for choosing me!”

Tim managed to raise £2,520 for the club’s charity arm, and you can add to his total.

The city’s biggest 10k race is not Tim’s first time fundraising, as the 81-year-old has been raising money for fantastic causes since the mid ‘80s, first running the Stamford half marathon.

To name just a few of his fundraisers, Tim has run a number of marathons (London, Chester, Edinburgh and Cornwall) taken part in mountain climbing, long treks and cycling, including the Tour de Broads.

Not only had our hero supported the Community Sports Foundation, he has raised money for St Dunstan’s, Wooden Spoon, Great Ormond Street, EACH, RNIB, Vision Norfolk and Lupus, raising an enormous total of £80,000 altogether.

Tim was also keen to highlight the support and work of his wife, Rachel, who this year ran Run Norwich as a guide runner for a blind runner, Sarah Wilby.

Emma Fletcher-Dungay, head of fundraising at the Community Sports Foundation, said: “Tim is an inspiration to so many, he has overcome personal health battles himself, but this has not stopped him from wanting to help others.

“The huge amount of money he has raised will make a difference to so many young people within our disability programme. Thank you, Tim and team, from everyone at the Foundation.”

Tim will be in attendance at Carrow Road on Saturday with his wife Rachel and blind runner Sarah, as well as her guide dog Buddy.

About our Community Hero initiative

Since 2019, Fosters Solicitors have joined our partners Norwich City Football Club in highlighting the great work of local individuals and organisations in our community.

Every month during the football season, a ‘Community Hero’ is chosen for a selected matchday – providing an opportunity to showcase that person(s) or initiatives selfless work or important community campaign.

Previous Community Heroes have included young carers, veterans, equality campaigners, charity fundraisers and their beneficiaries.

Would you like to nominate a Community Hero this season? Please go to canaries.co.uk/club/heroes to tell us all about them!