Dan's Race for Food 2026

Aim

To help Bournemouth Foodbank raise vital funds and awareness of local food insecurity in our community in 2026 by entering the Bay Run

This year I am running the Bournemouth Bay Run Half Marathon -13.1 miles - to raise vital funds for Bournemouth Food Bank. It’s a challenge, but nothing compared to the daily struggles faced by families in our community who don’t know where their next meal is coming from.

When I visited the foodbank and Garden Rooms community café, I was shocked and heartbroken by what I saw and heard. In the UK today there are more food banks than McDonald’s. Over 2,500 food banks compared to 1,270 restaurants. Think about that for a second. Feeding hungry families has become a bigger operation than fast food. 

It costs around £27 to feed one person for three days. That’s £9 a day – less than a Starbucks coffee and sandwich. But for a family in crisis, that support is the difference between eating and going hungry. Sixty percent of people who visit Bournemouth Food Bank only need to go once. That shows how a small amount of help at the right time can keep someone afloat when life throws an unexpected bill, a delayed payment, or a job loss their way.

The stories I heard from the team stayed with me. Teachers buying food for hungry pupils so they can concentrate at school. New mums struggling to afford nappies, formula, or basic toiletries. People working in essential jobs – care workers, teaching assistants, even nurses - whose wages simply don’t cover the essentials.

Nobody in 2026 should be living like this. Not here, not anywhere. Kids shouldn’t be going to school on empty stomachs. Parents shouldn’t have to make themselves ill just so their children can eat.

That’s why I’m running. Every mile I cover is a step towards putting meals on tables and hope in the hearts of families who are struggling. Every pound raised will go directly to Bournemouth Foodbank, helping them to provide food parcels, essential baby packs, and the community support that so many people desperately need.

Please give whatever you can. No donation is too small – every contribution makes a real, measurable difference. If you can help me reach my target of £1000, together we can purchase around 50 crates for the foodbank to help local people over the colder months. 

Together, we can turn miles into meals. Together, we can make sure no parent has to go hungry so their child doesn’t.

Thank you for your support.

This project successfully funded on 31st March 2026