Businesses, community groups and clubs will have the chance to vie for a host of prizes in the Flint Bishop Team Challenge as part of the first Oktober-Vest men’s and boys’ running event in the city on Saturday October 1.
Derby-based HUUB Events has teamed up with Cricket Derbyshire to organise Oktober-Vest at the 3aaa County Ground and neighbouring Racecourse Park.
Oktober-Vest is designed to encourage men and boys of all ages to increase their activity, fitness and health. Entrants can run either 2.5km, 5km or 10km in a relaxed event without the pressure of timing chips.
Flint Bishop Solicitors have come on board to launch the Team Challenge at Oktober-Vest with prizes awarded to teams with largest number of entrants. These include coaching sessions by DCCC professional players and coaches, signed DCCC bats and shirts and tickets for Derbyshire Falcons T20 matches in 2017.
Flint Bishop Solicitors Senior Partner Andrew Cochrane said: “We love the concept of Oktober-Best and are really excited to support the Team Challenge.
“Many events can be intimidating to those new to running and Oktober-Vest is designed to be a welcoming way for men and boys to get active together.
“We hope that friends and colleagues from businesses, groups and clubs will join together to enter as a team.
We already have a team from Flint Bishop who are up for the challenge of getting active together and we look forward to cheering them and indeed all the teams on the day.”
Oktober-Vest is in support of mental health Charity Mind and the Cricket Derbyshire Foundation. It aims to raise awareness of the benefits of sport and physical activity in tackling mental health and both recipient organisations work closely with members of the local community facing such issues.
The event will also be attended by several organisations, including Livewell, with health checks, information and advice available on a wide range of issues surrounding physical and mental health as well as a range of food, drink and entertainment for the whole family to enjoy.
HUUB Events Race Director Claire Duffin concluded: “Oktober-Vest is designed to be the men’s equivalent to ‘Race for Life’ which has been instrumental in encouraging women to get active and then challenge themselves further in other sporting events.
“Men of all ages are welcome to join in for a morning that we hope will be a challenge but also a lot of fun.
“Everyone will wear the signature vest to get into the spirit and complete whatever distance at whatever speed they want.
“Nobody will be timed or be competing for a trophy. Instead we will all proudly wear the finishers’ medal and meet for a welcome free pint of beer to highlight that everything, in moderation, is good for you!
“I hope that it will show men who may not have been that active in the past just what a buzz you get from completing a sporting challenge and encourage them to progress onto other more demanding events that are planned for the rest of the month and beyond.
“Our vision is that Oktober-Vest will become an annual event both in Derby and elsewhere in the UK to focus on men’s health, bring the whole family out to support their efforts and raise a lot of money for local charities.”
Entry for Oktober-Vest is £15 per adult, £8 for U12’s and a ‘Dads and Lads’ entry for £20. Anyone entering as part of a team needs to highlight this on the registration form online at www.huubevents.com/oktober-vest