People are being invited to cheer on Sefton Charity Champion Alex Rigby when he takes on his incredible fundraising run between 69 separate train stations on the full Merseyrail network this week.
Alex, who won his Sefton Charity Champion accolade at last year’s Grand Pride Of Sefton Awards, has already raised over £25,000 through his campaign for the Centre 56 charity that supports victims of domestic violence.
Alex will begin his 105-mile journey in Chester at 3pm this Friday (28th February 2025) before running past train stations including Ellesmere Port, Birkenhead Central, West Kirby, New Brighton, Morefields, Walton, Aintree, Maghull and Ormskirk.
People are being urged to cheer him on as he runs from Southport Train Station at around 8.35am this Saturday before running past Birkdale (8.55am), Hillside (9.10am), Ainsdale (9.40am), Freshfield (10.30am), Formby (10.45am), Hightown (11.30am), and then on towards venues including Crosby, Waterloo, Bootle, Liverpool Central, Aigburth, and finishing at Hunts Cross at around 6.10pm.
You can donate via Alex Rugby’s fundraising page here.
Alex Rigby said:
“The big week is finally here!
“Over 8 months of planning, countless meetings, hundreds of miles run and all for ONE reason.
“To raise awareness around domestic abuse and put the spotlight on the incredible work that is done at Centre 56 by the amazing staff who provide so much love and support for the families and children who attend our nursery.
“I will be setting of at Chester station 3pm this Friday (28th February). You are more than welcome to attend, support, run, walk or even shake a bucket.
“I am hoping to finish Saturday 1st of March at Hunts cross station and celebrate in the Waiting Room pub next door all being well.
“Thank you so much once again Merseyrail for the ongoing support over the past 14 months.
“To all the relay representatives who are planning on running big miles, thank you!
“Now let’s start the conversation around domestic violence and show that it’s not acceptable in any society!
“If you would like to donate the link can be found below:
You can donate via Alex Rugby’s fundraising page here.”
Alex hopes to raise £35,000 by doubling the distance of his previous challenge route.
Gathered at Hunts Cross Station on a cold February morning in 2024, the Centre 56 team waved Alex off as he started his 56-mile running challenge to raise money for the nursery. The challenge saw him run to every station on Merseyrail’s Northern Line and raised £30,000 for Centre 56.
In April last year, Alex was crowned Sefton Charity Champion Of The Year, sponsored by Communications Plus, at the 2024 Grand Pride Of Sefton Awards.
Now, the Rail-Runner is preparing to make his return (and make history!), setting his sights on completing a route covering the full Merseyrail Network, something that has never been attempted before.
As one of Merseyrail’s four chosen charities for the year, the team are delighted to have Merseyrail backing the challenge.
Merseyrail’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Greg Suligowski said:
“We are really pleased to welcome Alex back to the Merseyrail network for his biggest and toughest challenge yet. The whole team will be cheering him on as he runs the entire length of our network, raising funds for the vital work Centre 56 does in the communities we serve.”
Centre 56 has been a place of safety and hope for families in Kirkdale for more than 50 years. The charity provides specialist nursery care for children aged 2-12 years who have experienced domestic abuse or crisis situations.
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