Hundreds take over Birkenhead Park for colourful Claire Bear 3k fundraiser

Birkenhead Park was bursting with colour and energy as hundreds of families gathered for the Claire Bear 3k.

The lively event last Sunday (June 21) saw more than 500 participants enjoying bubble stations, food stalls, face-painting, and samba music before setting off on a 3k route around the park to raise money for Claire House Children’s Hospice. Children and families ran, walked, or scooted together, proudly sporting Claire Bear ears and commemorative T-shirts.

Cheering volunteers and supporters lined the entire course, and every participant was awarded a special medal at the finish line, alongside a chance to meet the charity’s official mascot, Claire Bear. Thanks to their collective efforts, the event raised an incredible £16,000 for the hospice.

Among the participants was Liverpool mum Lynsay Murphy and her family, who have relied on Claire House for support since the devastating loss of their baby boy, Noah.

Reflecting on the significance of the day, Lynsay said:

“Doing the Claire Bear 3k has been really nice as it is a way for us to include Noah in our Father’s Day plans. Claire House was there for us when we felt completely lost. They supported us when we were on the NICU with Noah and we were able to spend precious time with him in the Butterfly Suite after he passed away.

No-one ever expects to be in that situation and at the time we didn’t have the mental capacity for things such as planning Noah’s funeral, but Claire House helped us with everything. They’ve supported us with counselling, complementary therapies and activities especially for siblings, which Noah’s big brother, Jacob has enjoyed. They have been there for our whole family.”

The inclusive 3k brought together people of all generations and abilities, from families currently receiving support from Claire House to young fundraisers eager to make a difference and locals wanting to support a fantastic cause.

Event organiser Mark Pearson shared his gratitude for the community’s turnout, saying:

“It was amazing to see so many children taking part and raising money for other children. The Claire Bear 3k is all about being active, being outdoors and raising vital funds for your local children’s hospice.

Every day, Claire House goes the extra mile for seriously and terminally ill children, providing expert care and it was amazing to see our community going the extra 3k! Thank you to everyone who took part.”