Thousands complete Bidwells Oxford 10k to raise £300,000
14 May 2025
On Sunday 11 May, thousands of people completed our historic Bidwells Oxford 10k and junior 3k, raising an incredible £300,000 to support people living with muscle wasting and weakening conditions. The event attracted elite runners competing for a personal best as well groups of friends, corporate teams, people in fancy dress, and those with a personal link to the cause, taking part to raise funds and increase awareness.
The Oxford 10k, which first started in 1982 inspired by a local boy Daniel Cleaver who had muscular dystrophy, sold out a month in advance with the largest number of participants in the event’s history – 6,000 people registered for the 10k plus 600 for the junior 3k. This included several local schools taking part in the junior 3k race. One of these was Summer Fields School in Oxford, whose pupils have taken part for nine years and raised over £30,000 for us in that time. This year, 180 pupils from the school entered the 3k race as well as 60 adults in the 10k.
Ian Barrett, Assistant Head of PE at Summer Fields said: “This event is a real highlight in our school calendar. We always look forward to taking part and were thrilled to be able to enter a team again this year.
“It’s great to see so many from our school community coming together to do something to help such a worthwhile charity. We’re looking forward to being there again in 2026!”
Both the junior 3k and main 10k race were officially started by Tristan Boedts, who took part in our Bidwells Oxford 10k and Cambridge 10k last year. The 28-year-old PhD student lives with limb girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD) and walked the 10k course after saying a few words to the runners at the start line.
Check out highlights from the event
Previous slideNext slide
“I feel lucky to be able to walk in events like this,” said Tristan.
“Lots of people with LGMD, or other types of muscle wasting condition, are not able to, so I’m doing it for them.”
“I’d like to thank everyone who took part on Sunday – your support for Muscular Dystrophy UK helps all of us who are living with a muscle wasting condition.”
Tristan completed the 10k in just under two and a half hours accompanied by some friends and family.
The first 10k runner across the finish line was Callum Coleman who ran the course with a chip time of 32:54. The fastest female was Charlotte Firth from Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow Athletic Club with a chip time of 38:35.
Teams taking part included a group of scientists based at the Oxford Neuromuscular Centre, who raised over £1,200; Evie’s Hotwheels who have raised £1,500; and an Oxfordshire fire crew – Red Watch from Rewley Road Fire Station, who took part dressed in full firefighting PPE and carrying a 50kg casualty training manikin on a stretcher, raising over £1,100 for Muscular Dystrophy UK and The Fire Fighters Charity.
Jessie Keighley, Events Manager at Muscular Dystrophy UK said: “We’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who took part in the 2025 Bidwells Oxford 10k and junior 3k, as well as all those who came along to support and volunteer.
“This is a true community event, and we’re delighted that it continues to grow, selling out in advance for a second year running. The money raised will make a huge difference, helping us to continue funding groundbreaking research and supporting those living with muscle wasting and weakening conditions.
“We’d like to say a special thank you to Tristan for being our official race starter this year, as well as our event partner, Bidwells, for helping us to make the event a success as well as one that is carbon neutral.”
“Some sponsorship money is still coming in, but the event looks set to raise £300,000, which is incredible. We’re looking forward to seeing everyone again next year!”
Nick Pettit, Senior Partner at Bidwells said: “We were proud to be part of this incredible event once again and to support the vital work of Muscular Dystrophy UK.
“This partnership goes beyond traditional sponsorship. Our decision to forge a long-term alliance with Muscular Dystrophy UK stems from our deep admiration for the remarkable work this charity undertakes.
“We are investing our time, energy, and resources into this partnership, with the goal of making a tangible difference in the vital work they carry out.”
“With a rich history in land and property spanning over 185 years, Bidwells has a strong presence in both Oxford and Cambridge. Supporting Muscular Dystrophy UK’s well-established ‘Town and Gown’ 10k runs in these cities allows us to champion the charity and its cause, while also giving back to the local communities that are central to our work.
“Congratulations to everyone who took part on Sunday, and we can’t wait to see you all again in 2026.”
Alongside headline partner Bidwells, the event was supported by Diligencia, Penningtons Manches Cooper, and Oxford United Football Club, as well as David Lloyd Clubs who helped get runners race-ready with a warm-up on the main stage.
Sign up to our 2026 event
Sign up today and take advantage of our early bird offer.
