Over £15,000 raised by Great North Runners to support students returning to campus this month
They did it! Huge congratulations to our team of runners who completed the Great North Run last weekend, raising an incredible £15,000 for the Newcastle University Student Fund.
10 September 2025
A dedicated team of alumni, colleagues and friends laced up their running shoes and took on the world’s biggest and best half-marathon in aid of future generations of Newcastle graduates.
On Sunday 7 September, members of our university community united on the start line of the Great North Run, having pledged to tackle the iconic 13.1-mile route in support of our students.
Every step they took from Newcastle to South Shields went towards supporting young people from the most disadvantaged backgrounds to access higher education. By running with Team Newcastle and raising over £15,000 (and counting!) our runners have provided vital support such as scholarships and bursaries, hardship funding, food supplies, course materials and much more to students arriving on campus later this month.
We don’t want any student to miss out on what makes belonging to Newcastle University so special. Thanks to Team Newcastle, we can help more students than ever before have the full university experience.
The impact of the Newcastle University Student Fund
At Newcastle University, we are committed to ensuring every student has the chance to succeed and thrive, regardless of their background. We have a long-standing commitment to widening participation and equality of opportunity, something we are incredibly proud of. Donations to the Newcastle University Student Fund have made schemes offering affordable meals and free period products on campus possible, alleviating some of the pressure faced by our student community.
The Fund also helps students to make the most of their time on campus, by getting involved in sports clubs and societies organised by the Students' Union. In the past year, donations have supported Newcastle Student Radio in purchasing new equipment and residents at Bowsden Court in developing an allotment. The Fund has also helped Business students visit some of the UK's leading employers in London, financed free meal services during assessment periods, and helped set up a scientific calculator lending service, to name just a few projects.
Since it was established in 2021, the Newcastle University Student Fund has provided £1.5m to student causes across our three campuses around the world.
Our history with the Great North Run
The Great North Run is a highlight in our region’s sporting calendar, welcoming 60,000 participants annually – from professional athletes to amateur runners raising money for worthy causes. The 13.1 miles city to coastal route begins a stone’s throw from Newcastle University, with runners pounding the pavement across the Tyne Bridge (accompanied by the Red Arrows!) and then following the river across to South Shields.
The iconic half marathon was founded by Olympian and honorary graduate of Newcastle University, Sir Brendan Foster CBE (pictured). Over 12,000 runners took part in the first event in June 1981, and the number of participants has grown ever since.
Over the years, many famous faces have fired the starting pistol, including honorary graduates Sir Bobby Robson (in 2007) and Sting (in 2009). Another honorary graduate and local sporting legend, Baroness Tanni Grey Thompson, has won the wheelchair race on multiple occasions.
- Alex Duggan
- Alex (Xan) Milligan
- Alice Hall
- Carol Summerside
- Chris Day
- Chris Wells
- Daniel Niblett
- Ellie Lythe
- Freya Lovely
- Graham Cole
- Jamie Armstrong
- Jane Robinson
- Jason Yip
- Jenni Milne
- Jonny Day
- Kat Gustin
- Laura Watson
- Levi Croom
- Luke Mortell
- Marco Amitrano
- Meg Holtom
- Naomi Oosman-Watts
- Rob McCargow
- Ross Valentine
- Ruth Valentine
- Sadegh Nadimi-Shahraki
- Tapas Das
- Tom Potter
- Yanna Li