A Tyneside multi-sports event next month has teamed up with a heart health charity that campaigns to install community defibrillators around the North East. TRY on the Tyne has confirmed Red Sky Foundation as its official charity partner and organisers are hoping that the link up will help the foundation’s drive to make sure that defibrillators are easily accessible in more public spaces.
The 2022 TRY on the Tyne will bring senior and junior duathlons (run-bike-run races), a 5K run and Paula Radcliffe’s Families on Track initiative to the Newcastle and Gateshead quaysides, all on closed roads on Saturday 13 August. The event is being organised by Events of the North, in partnership with Newcastle City Council and Gateshead Council, and supported by Northumbria University.
Sergio and Emma Petrucci set up North East charity Red Sky Foundation following the pioneering life-saving treatment that their daughter Luna received after she was born with a serious heart problem. Recognising the importance of ensuring that there is easy access to life-saving defibrillators in city centre locations, the foundation raises money and installs devices throughout the region. Sergio has started visiting Tyneside businesses and other organisations with a special black and white stripe branded Red Sky Foundation defibrillator, in a sustained push to persuade more locations to agree to the installation of devices. Participants in this year’s TRY on the Tyne races will be encouraged to raise funds for Red Sky Foundation and event partners are all helping to publicise the charity’s work, along with key messages about heart health.
Sergio Pertucci comments: “Red Sky Foundation is delighted to be the official charity partner for TRY on the Tyne. We’re working really hard to bring more community defibrillators to Newcastle and Gateshead and the event is a brilliant platform to promote that work to the residents and businesses of Tyneside. We’re also using this partnership as an opportunity to talk to people about heart health in the context of encouraging them to be active.”
TRY on the Tyne founder Steve Cram adds: “As a lifelong Sunderland fan, I did do a double take when I saw the black and white striped Red Sky Foundation defibrillator! However, it’s a great way to make the connection between a sport that people from Tyneside are very passionate about, and a really important campaign. We’re really excited about this year’s TRY on the Tyne and the opportunity that it provides to not only get individuals and families active, but also support great causes like Red Sky Foundation. We’ll be working closely with partners at Newcastle City Council, Gateshead Council and Northumbria University to promote some key messages about heart health, and help raise funds for the work of Red Sky Foundation in the process.”
To book a place on one of the TRY on the Tyne races, visit www.tryonthetyne.com, and for the latest event news, follow @EventsOTN on Twitter and @eventsofthenorth_ on Instagram, or find the event on Facebook.
