Don Hale Blog

*North Wales runner Gwen Charlton (*above) is shown with her boys at a recent and popular Penrhyn Castle charity Dark Run. Supertemps boss Sarah Elwood pledges new Dark Run charity support for  Tŷ Gobaith... Report by Don Hale donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   Race organiser John Hatton (*pictured right), who promotes the popular DARK RUNS at Conwy, and at Penrhyn Castle - which have raised many thousands of pounds for local children’s cancer charities - has just confirmed that Supertemps have made  Tŷ Gobaith   Children’s Hospice their ‘Charity of the Year’ for 2026. He explained that keen runner with GOG Triathlon and well-known local businesswoman  Sarah Elwood , the managing director at Supertemps, who has sponsored these events for the past two years, has now agreed to provide further financial support once more.  John also outlined his latest fundraising plans stating:  “This year we are making  Penrhyn  a very big event and we are hoping...

*John Hatton above - with Dame Laura Kenny - at last year's awards. Please support SPORT in Conwy...  John Hatton appeals for urgent support for top sports event... special report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 The well-known, award-winning athletics coach and charity fundraiser John Hatton is appealing for urgent  help and new ideas to both  save and support Sport Conwy. With all the current cost of living problems to contend with, and a succession of funding reductions, especially in relation to sport, he has come up with an innovative idea that might appeal to local businesses, support groups, and community organisations to help keep Sport Conwy going! John explained: “I am on the committee for Sport Conwy, and we have been supporting local sports for 30 years, this year. However, financial cutbacks and grants that we usually apply for have been dramatically cut,  I have come up with a new scheme to fill our void in finances, and  to help ma...

Time to enter the famous Deganwy 5-mile Dash - entries limited to just 350 places for this unique charity race. Report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 Entries for the famous Deganwy 5-mile Dash are now open, and runners are advised to enter early as numbers will be limited to just 350 due to the popularity of this essential fundraising event for Children’s Cancer charities. *This is the important link for Deganwy Dash entries:   https://in.tdlentries.co.uk/2026-deganwy-dash The event on Friday 29th May 2026 starts and finishes on Deganwy Promenade close to the revamped shelter and follows a picturesque course along the river estuary and around Conwy Cob to the RSPB Nature Reserve, where it turns and returns back along the same route to the finish. Run director John Hatton confirmed this week: “The Deganwy Dash is now live now for entries. The aim of the race is to still raise money for Cancer in Children. Joshua Tree is our main recipient for money plus as before Young ...

*Pictured above - the 'naked' athletes from North Wales Road Runners who took part in their festive handicap run last Sunday from Llandudno prom.  North Wales club runners enjoyed their windy ‘naked’ festive handicap run and annual prizegiving.. Report by Don Hale Photos by John Hatton. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   Fifteen members from North Wales Road Running Club braved gale force winds and an extremely challenging 4.5-mile plus course to complete their festive handicap race on Sunday. The event started and finished by Llandudno Pier and travelled along the promenade before climbing up by the side of the Little Orme to the town’s ‘Welcome’ sign, then following an equally undulating route back home. This was not a first past-the-post race as such, with the handicap results based on the initial estimates from competing athletes on their predicted times for this race, against the actual finishing times. It also had the added restriction of being a ‘Naked Run,’ so n...

*Pictured above and below - some of the fun runners at the Mental Elf events. Mental Elf 2k and 5k races proved a huge success at Eirias Park, Colwy Bay last Sunday... Report by Don Hale. Pictures by Caitlin Faye Photography. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 John Hatton, who was one of the charity event organisers at last weekend’s Mental Elf races at Eirias Park, was delighted by the fun frolics and the great public response, plus the generous funds raised for such a worthy cause. Sponsored by Jennings , participants were told that they could either walk, jog, skip or run whilst soaking up the festive spirit, and whilst supporting Conwy and the Vale of Clwyd Minds, with a Mini Elf 2k fun run, and 5k event. After the event, John confirmed:  “A massive thank you to all the volunteers last Sunday at the Mental Elf 2k & 5k, held at Eirias Park, Colwyn Bay.  What a day, and it began at 8am setting up the course. It was white everywhere, and a hailstorm was incredible. “The weathe...

*Pictured above - Laura Kenny with John Hatton at the sports awards. John Hatton and Michelle Farrell celebrate top  sporting  awards from Dame Laura Kenny   Report by Don Hale.   donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   Popular charity fundraiser, event organiser, sports promoter, and athletics coach John Hatton deservedly won another prestigious trophy last Friday night at the Conwy Sports Awards, along with an exceptional local international triathlete in Michelle Farrell.   They are both well-known talented local individuals in the athletics world and they received their awards along with other identified sporting heroes from the former Olympic cycling star Laura Kenny.   John Hatton later confirmed:  "I was honoured and so thrilled to be the winner of the 'Volunteer of the Year' at the Conwy Sports Awards last Friday. I have now won four awards at the event, including Services to Sport, Best Event of the Year for the Nick Beer 10k, and the  Degan...