The sun shone bright in Stanley Park at the weekend as runners turned out in force for community legacy event Run For The 97.
More than 1,650 adults and children walked, jogged, and ran to honour the 97 Liverpool Football Club fans lost at Hillsborough in 1989.
This was the 12th staging of the community legacy event, supported by both the red and blue sides of the city.
The event on Saturday (23 May) took place in Stanley Park, located between Liverpool FC’s Anfield Stadium and Everton FC’s Goodison Park, the new home of Everton Women.
The 5K participants collected their commemorative T-shirt on event morning to wear for the fun run – showing everyone coming together as one. This was followed by a 1 Mile fun run.
Runners had travelled from Ireland, Denmark, Norway, and Switzerland to take part.
This year, more than 100 virtual runners also took part across the world. They were sent their run number, T-shirt, and medal ahead of event day so they also take part on the same day. International participants took part in Australia, Canada, Demark, Germany, Hong Kong, Singapore, and the USA.
Run For The 97 was first staged in 2015 as a positive inclusive event to celebrate the lives and honour the 97 Liverpool Football Club fans who died at Hillsborough on 15 April 1989. Last month marked 37 years since the disaster.
The event also remembers the families of The 97 and the survivors, who have since tirelessly fought for justice with the utmost dignity. They continue to campaign for a Hillsborough Law.
The official charity partners are Jamie Carragher’s 23 Foundation; Liverpool Football Club’s official club charity LFC Foundation; and Stanley Park junior parkrun and its three sister parkruns at The Mystery Park in Wavertree, Derby Park in Bootle, and Norris Green.
Hillsborough family members and justice campaigners included Margaret Aspinall, Steve Kelly, and Sue Roberts – they have all been involved in Run For The 97 since the very beginning. They continue to spearhead the Hillsborough Law campaign.
Margaret Aspinall is the former Chair of the now disbanded Hillsborough Family Support Group (HFSG), she lost her 18-year-old son James at Hillsborough. Steve Kelly lost his brother Michael, aged 38. Steve helped to create and shape the event. Sue Roberts, former HFSG Secretary, lost her 24-year-old brother Graham.
Former Liverpool Football Club players Jamie Carragher, Chris Kirkland, and Sammy Lee all supported the event.
Guests also included Nicola Carragher, wife of Jamie; Matt Parish, CEO of the LFC Foundation; Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram; and Ian Byrne, Labour MP for Liverpool West Derby and co-founder of Fans Supporting Foodbanks.
Dennis Adelsberg, aged 96 from Ormskirk, is a regular at Run For The 97. He missed last year’s event due to a broken leg. But he was determined to be back for 2026. Family members joined Dennis for the 5K fun run.
As part of the community legacy aspect, runners were invited to donate non-perishable food items to Fans Supporting Foodbanks.
Rock Choir Liverpool were in fine voice as they entertained runners on the 5K route as they passed the Isla Gladstone Conservatory.
Run For The 97 is organised by BTR Liverpool – the leading organisation for creating, managing, and delivering headline running events across Liverpool City Region.
Football club anthems of Liverpool and Everton, You’ll Never Alone and Z Cars, rang loudly from the stage, followed by a minute’s applause to honour the lives of The 97. The Hollies with He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother played as runners crossed the start line.
The 5K accessible route took runners through Stanley Park, along Walton Lane, Priory Road, Arkles Lane, back into the park before passing the Eternal Flame on 97 Avenue at Anfield Stadium, before heading to the finish line in the middle of the park.
The junior parkrun team hosted a warm-up ahead of the 1 Miler, before youngsters set off on their own fun run to the sounds of The Farm’s Altogether Now.
The entry fee pays to stage and deliver all aspects of the event including run numbers, T-shirts, medals, virtual entries, event day staging, safety measures, and runner facilities.
The event provides a platform for participants to fundraise or to make a one-off charity donation. Since it was first staged, Run For The 97 has helped to raise over £45,000 for good causes in the city.
The trio of beneficiary charity partners – Jamie Carragher’s 23 Foundation; LFC Foundation; and Stanley Park junior parkrun – support the vision of creating a legacy to honour The 97, while ensuring local communities benefit through their work. Funds raised will be split equally between the charities for vital community outreach programmes.
For a second year, fundraisers The Red Indians presented a cheque on stage for a generous amount totalling £1,020.97
The official fundraising Just Giving page can be found at https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/runforthe972026
Alan Rothwell, BTR Liverpool Founder, commented:
“This is the 12th Run For The 97 – and each year it becomes more poignant. Over the years we gotten to know a number of Hillsborough family members, we recognise familiar faces who return year after year, and it’s important we keep educating the next generation through sport.
“The sun was most definitely shining bright for The 97. Stanley Park was a sea of red T-shirts all walking, jogging, and running for an incredibly special reason. As a city, red and blue standing side by side, Hillsborough is something we will never forget.
“Run For The 97 embodies everything that Liverpool stands for – camaraderie, compassion, pride, and strength. And once again we witnessed that in abundance.
“Please donate to the Just Giving charity fund to help the charities continue their vital work in our local communities – Jamie Carragher’s 23 Foundation, LFC Foundation, and the group of four junior parkruns in Liverpool and Bootle. Education, wellbeing, and supporting community projects is a powerful legacy in the name of The 97.”
Run For The 97 has continued every year since 2015. During the pandemic it went ahead as a virtual run in 2020 and 2021, ensuring people could still support the cause and fundraise.
The BTR Liverpool annual calendar of competitive races and fun runs take place between March and December. The portfolio also includes Liverpool Half Marathon, Liverpool Santa Dash, Mersey Tunnel 10K, Women’s 10K and 5K Liverpool, and Wirral 10K.
In 2025, BTR Liverpool and its successful portfolio of events was acquired by Run For All. Mass participation events company Run For All is wholly owned by the Jane Tomlinson Appeal, and continues to honour her ongoing legacy.
Next up in the BTR race portfolio is the Port Sunlight Road Race 10K and 5K on Sunday 7 June 2026.
For full details about the event visit www.btrliverpool.com
