A Brief History of the Joy Cann 5 Mile Memorial Road Race

Joy Cann died after a courageous battle against cancer in December 1992; she was only 32 years old.

A popular runner with the Huncote Harriers, she regularly competed in the local road race league and completed the London Marathon in 1990.

The Club organised the first Ladies only race, in Joy’s memory, on 9th July 1993 around the old ‘Wakes 5’ course. The inaugural event attracted 67 Ladies and was won by Heather Jennings (Beaumont Leys Running Club).

The event remained a low-key affair until July 1995 when the race was combined with the local charity fund raising ‘Huncote Wakes Day’. The race had a brand new course and men ran for the first time in a separate race.

In 1997 the event went under one final radical change: the Men’s and Ladies races were combined for the first time and the start and finish of the race was moved to the Huncote Leisure Centre and the popular Wednesday evening date was established, where is has remained ever since.

Charities Supported

A share of any profits made from the race are donated to charity. Donations have been made to all of the following charities over the last 20+ years:

The Cancer Unit at the Leicester Royal Infirmary (where Joy was cared for).
The Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Trust
The Helen Webb Trust
The Lord Mayors Scanner Appeal
Huncote Junior School
Huncote Children’s Play Group
Huncote Children’s Netball Group
Huncote Animal Rescue Centre
‘When you wish upon a Star’
The Manor Croft Day Centre
Rehabilitation Unit at Leicester General Hospital
Rainbow’s Appeal
Prostaid
Leicestershire Animal Aid
Pink Ribbon Foundation
LOROS
Leicestershire Parents of Diabetics Group
Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland Air Ambulance
The Laura Centre
Heartlink
Downs Heart Group
Leicester Children’s Holiday Centre (Mablethorpe).
Friends of Birkett House School.
Macmillan Cancer Support.
Sketchley Hill Menphys Nursery, Burbage
Edgar’s Gift
SNIPS
LRI Our Space Appeal
The Neonatal Unit at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro
The Nottingham Hospitals Charity in memory of Bella Hurst
Cancer Research UK
Diabetes Camps
Bodie Hodges Foundation
Alzheimer’s Society