More than 50 runners have helped raise over £13,000 for Treetops Hospice by taking part in Derby County Community Trust’s (DCCT) flagship Derby 10K event.
Participants ranged from families with personal connections to the hospice to local businesses keen to give back to their community. Together, they formed a determined Treetops team made up of runners of all ages and abilities.
The Derby 10K is one of the city’s most popular annual events, attracting thousands of participants to its fast, flat route through the heart of Derby’s Pride Park. For many, it’s a personal challenge but also a chance to support important causes close to home.
This year’s Treetops runner teams included the Bear Team, the Mudders, the Sweeties, Pride of Dom, the Sole Mates and corporate teams from Capital One and Certiero.
Lee Francis, who ran alongside friend Simon Halsey as part of the Mudders team, shared why supporting Treetops means so much to him:
“This was my second Derby 10K raising money for Treetops, a charity that means a great deal to my family.
“My great‑grandma Lottie was cared for by Treetops before she passed away, and those memories remind me just how much kindness and dignity the hospice gives to families during incredibly difficult times.
“The atmosphere on the day was brilliant, especially the support around Pride Park. Finishing at just over 50 minutes felt like a real achievement, and knowing we’d raised nearly £400 for such an important local charity made it even more special.”
Certiero Directors, Stuart Flint and Daniel Evans also took on the challenge, raising over £500 between them, an amount the company then matched to bring their total to more than £1,000.
Stuart said: “I took up running last year and wanted a challenge that also supported a charity close to home and aligned with our values.
“We’d heard of Treetops, but it was only when we started fundraising that we realised just how many people we knew that had been personally supported and impacted by the hospice.
“We were incredibly proud to wear our colourful Treetops shirts on the day, they really stood out and the support and encouragement from the charity throughout was absolutely fantastic.”
All funds raised will help Treetops Hospice continue providing vital end‑of‑life care and bereavement support for families across southern and central Derbyshire.
Alongside the success of the Derby 10K, Treetops has also been selected as Charity of the Year for two other upcoming Derbyshire running events – the Wilne 10k and the Derby 10 Mile, set to take place this September and November 2026.
To find out more about getting involved in events and challenges for Treetops Hospice, visit: https://www.treetopshospice.org.uk/events
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Photo caption: This year’s Treetops runners included over 50 people – including the Bear Team, the Mudders, the Sweeties, Pride of Dom, the Sole Mates and corporate teams from Capital One and Certiero.
About Treetops Hospice
Treetops Hospice is a leading end-of-life care charity in Derbyshire, for adults with life-limiting conditions, people who have been bereaved, and their families.
The charity offers support from the point of diagnosis onwards for patients living with conditions such as cancer, motor neurone disease and heart and respiratory illnesses.
Last year, the Treetops nursing team supported over 2,000 patients, with over 34,000 hours of end-of-life care delivered.
The bereavement counselling team provided more than 5,000 hours of sessions – including over 1,500 for children and young people. The Wellbeing team also offers vital information, guidance, and emotional support to those who need it most.
A donation of £34.50 helps provide a counselling session for a bereaved child. A donation of £108 helps provide nursing care through the night for a patient at the end of life.
Donations are warmly welcomed to help secure the future of the hospice and its services: www.treetopshospice.org.uk/donate
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