The phrase "Our volunteer winners" is placed next to the AJ Bell and Great North Run logos. The background features a repeating pattern of semi opaque phrases like "You got this" and "Come on keep going".

Greggs x AJ Bell Great Run Series

10 months ago
3 min read

The AJ Bell Great Run Series partnership plays a key role in supporting our commitments to give back to local communities, as part of our pledge to build stronger and healthier communities.

The Great Run Company believe that the challenge of a mass participation events provides the inspiration people need to get and stay active. They have been delivering such events for over 40 years and now cheer over 250,000 participants across finish lines annually.

Through the AJ Bell Great Run Series partnership, Greggs is proud to have delivered over 18,000 lunches to the amazing volunteers working across events in the UK. In 2023 alone, Greggs will have delivered over 5,000 lunches to volunteers, each including one of our salads: testament to the fact that 32% of our range in 2022 consisted of ‘Healthier Choice’ products.

This year’s partnership also saw Greggs launch a competition to celebrate and recognise the valuable contributions of volunteers participating in the AJ Bell Great North Run – the series’ biggest running event that attracts 60,000 runners every year. The competition, titled Greggs Fuelling Greatness, sought to find the most inspiring volunteer stories with a winners’ prize of a £50 Greggs high roller gift card.

In addition to Greggs’ partnership with The AJ Bell Great Run Series, Greggs pledges to build stronger healthier communities through a variety of other initiatives, including providing free breakfasts to school children via the Greggs Foundation, Greggs’ independent grant-making charity. providing free breakfasts to over 52,000 children every school day.

The phrase "Our volunteer winners" is placed next to the AJ Bell and Great North Run logos. The background features a repeating pattern of semi opaque phrases like "You got this" and "Come on keep going".

Full details of The Greggs Pledge and its commitments can be found on the corporate website.

The winners include:

• Carole Heppel from South Shields, who first volunteered for the Great North Run through her Cub Scout group, the Durham Country Club Scouts. Carole has been a volunteer for over 30 years, having worked at 35 races in total, and was inducted into the Great North Run Hall of Fame in 2011.

• Tara Rutherford from Sunderland, who has been a volunteer for the Great Run for over 20 years, and helps out with goody bags. She also took part in the running event herself after being inspired by seeing people cross the finish line.