Dorchester running Group RIOT fundraise for charity

Members of Dorchester RIOT running group have raised just over £1,500 for Dorchester Foodbank, Mosaic and a GoFundme page set up for Daisy Smith, a baby girl who tragically lost her life to a rare genetic disease in 2021.

The running group undertook its third annual Every Mile Counts Challenge, where members aim to hit a daily mileage target. 

Various mileage points earned their team items for the foodbank, funds for Mosaic or taskmaster committee forfeits.

Runners had to find the locations set by the taskmasters (Image: RIOT)

In total 3,947 miles were clocked up, of which 1,991 were actually run. The remaining miles were added on by the runners who completed quirky challenges. The challenges included finding hidden items and submitting selfie evidence.

They raised £960, of which £350 was donated to Dorchester Foodbank and £610 towards the club's £1000 target set  for Mosaic.

Dee Brooks, Dorchester RIOT’s club secretary said: “Mosaic is Riot's 2023-24 Charity of the Year and we committed to raise at least £1000 for them.

“So, this £610 is added to the £250 that we already raised at the Hardy Half Marathon in May 2023.

“We are very much a community-based running group – other groups in the area are maybe more about the running.

"We started off as a social running club that started with movement and mental health at its core, it wasn’t about the speed.

"It has always been about the community - it what sets us apart -  we do silly things and nonsense whilst we are out running."

As part of the Every Mile Count Challenge incentives were given to teams that included giving the taskmaster team, headed up by Paul Danbury, forfeits, and of course, for charity Dee obliged.

She added: “It is amazing what an incentive can be like the taskmaster – all of this is designed to get people outside and moving.

"The forfeits were a 1am parkrun, a 500m sea swim without a wet suits, a trainer clean, an hour of litter picking and freshly made cakes for all.

"I did a 1am park run with Paul, which was 3.1 miles round the Great Field – fortunately it wasn’t raining."

24 runs were completed in 24 days raisng money in honour of Daisy Smith (Image: RIOT)

Money was also raised in December for a very special cause that is close to the hearts of those at the running club.

Their Festive 24 is annual event and involves 24 runs in 24 days, the latest was a special one called the Daisy Edition. It raised a total of £583 towards funding some new play equipment for the Children's Centre at Dorset County Hospital.

Poundbury couple Katie and Graham Smith’s baby Daisy was born at Dorset County Hospital in January 2021, but passed away later that year.

The challenge ended with a final run on from DRFC up to Maiden Castle and back to the club house for breakfast baguettes donated by Brace of Butchers and mulled cider and cake received from Waitrose Poundbury (Image: RIOT)

Graham is part of RIOT and the club wanted to give something back to one of their own to coincide with the family's own fundraising in November 2023.

Dee added: “It was just the opportunity to do something small and meaningful and you can see how people responded to that."

Every runner that completes 24 runs in 24 days received a Christmas bauble for their tree as a medal of completion., and a special 'Daisy bauble' was created for this year's challenged.

Dee continued:  “To honour Daisy in that way –and The Smiths to let us honour Daisy in that way - felt special."

“We have a lot of families in the club and whilst Festive 24 is one of our most popular challenges, it felt extra special this year as that sort of loss is one most of us are fortunate not to comprehend and so it feels important to do good out of something so awful.  

"I think they are so very gracious in how they remember Daisy."