Great Birmingham Run 2024: Aston Villa, Birmingham City & West Brom join forces for city's half marathon & 10K

They may be fierce rivals when they meet on the pitch but when it comes to supporting grassroots community projects, Aston Villa, Birmingham City and West Bromwich Albion will come together in May 2024.

With a month to go before the AJ Bell Great Birmingham Run hits the streets of the city on Sunday, May 5, the three West Midlands football clubs are on a mission to encourage fans to take part to fundraise for their community foundations.

Villa, Blues and West Brom are calling on their supporters to support their club’s local schemes by tackling the Great Birmingham Run 10k or half marathon as part of each club’s running teams, with the incentive of special-edition running T-shirts and vests to wear on the big day.

Launching the foundations’ call to fans near the Great Birmingham Run start line at Centenary Square, were former Villa star Nathan Baker and AVFC Foundation Ambassador Katharine Merry, former Blues star Roger Johnson with BCFC Engagement Manager for the Birmingham City Foundation, plus Albion mascot Baggie Bird with club legend Ally Robertson and charity fundraiser Blind Dave Heeley for the Albion Foundation.

It is the first time the big three clubs have committed to take on the annual event with such large numbers and the clubs hope to see hundreds of fans wearing their team colours with pride on Broad Street on the Sunday.

From Christmas gift campaigns and wellbeing workshops to school coaching sessions and chances to meet their heroes, the three clubs’ projects support a variety of schemes and projects in all areas of the West Midlands and directly help those who need it most.

Here’s how you can get involved and support your team at the Great Birmingham Run 2024

The Aston Villa Foundation

The Aston Villa Foundation will once again have runners representing the charity in the Great Birmingham Run, raising vital money for the Foundation’s wide variety projects in health and wellbeing, education, and young people.

Funds raised from the event will directly impact the local people in communities in the vicinity of Villa Park.

The Foundation works closely with partners from a variety of backgrounds in Birmingham as well as supporting the wider ‘Aston Villa family’ to reflect the charity’s mission statement of ‘Working Together to Enrich Lives’.

Previous runners include Olympic Bronze Medallist and Aston Villa Foundation Ambassador, Katharine Merry, who said: “Whether you are running for yourself, for charity, by yourself or in a team, nothing beats running around the second city! It’s a fabulous course with amazing support. 

“Having taken on the Great Birmingham Run twice for the Aston Villa Foundation, each time I have been blown away by the support. It’s such an amazing feeling running round the roads of Brum… a superb day. Come and join the fun!”

The Birmingham City Foundation

The Birmingham City Foundation is also calling for supporters to represent Blues in this year’s Run to help fund its community engagement programmes.

The Foundation will be covering the entry cost for the 10k run, as well as providing a limited-edition UNDEFEATED x Nike running vest for the first 200 supporters who reach £150 in donations on the Foundation’s GoFundMe page. The recently relaunched Birmingham City Foundation has already delivered one of the city’s biggest-ever Christmas gifting campaigns, and has recently supplied more than 3,000 match tickets to underprivileged children.

Executive Vice-President of the Foundation, Jeremy Dale, said: “We have a fanbase of loyal, generous and talented supporters, and we need them to represent the club at the Great Birmingham Run.

“The funds they will raise will be integral in providing free football provisions to young people who might not be able to pay to play at their local club. We want football to be accessible to everyone.”

The Albion Foundation

The Albion Foundation will also be taking part in the Great Birmingham Run this year for the first time. Its aim is to raise vital funds that will then be put back into supporting activities within the local community and the people within it, in line with their ‘Go Local’ strategy.

The Albion Foundation’s work has been recognised recently by the EFL and has been awarded EFL Championship Community Club of the Season. Judges were impressed by the approach to addressing key issues through projects like ‘Go Local’ offering midnight sessions throughout Ramadan and a rehabilitation scheme for stroke survivors.

Jonathan Ward, Deputy Director, the Albion Foundation, said: “We are delighted to be teaming up with the Great Birmingham Run alongside our 30 fantastic fundraisers on Sunday, 5 May.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for everyone to come together for a wonderful event whilst raising crucial funds for our local community. We’ve been taken aback by the uptake and support we have received by our fan base regarding the run which is still growing daily.”