Highgate Fun Run cancelled after sponsors pull funding

A popular Highgate fun run has been cancelled this year after sponsors pulled out of the event.

Last year’s 5km jog across Hampstead Heath in September attracted hundreds of runners and more than �7,000 in sponsorship money for the Whittington Hospital.

But after five years the fundraiser has been scrapped after Virgin Active – the event’s primary sponsor – pulled the plug on funding.

A spokeswoman for Whittington Health said: “The sponsor pulled out at the last minute and although we tried to find other ways of supporting the fun run event this year, it was too late.

“The fun run has become a firm fixture on the north London running calendar, and we do hope to be back with a bang next year.”

A spokeswoman for Virgin Active said: “Following a meeting with the Highgate 5km Fun Run organisers in April, a decision was made, in line with Virgin Active’s recently reviewed internal sponsorship strategy, that Virgin Active would no longer be able to resource the requested level of support at the event in the same capacity as previous years.”