Get ready to lace up your trainers and join Unloc for an exciting day at the Great Manchester Run! That’s right, the Unloc team are getting our steps in to help give young changemakers a step up, as we take on the infamous Great Manchester Run Half Marathon on Sunday 31st May 2026 to raise money for the Unloc Changemakers Fund, and we’d love you to join us.
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What to expect
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The Great Manchester Run offers a fast, flat course, an electric atmosphere, massive crowds, inclusive waves for all abilities (beginners to elites) and iconic city views, all offering a memorable UK running experience. A myriad of celebrities and radio and television personalities sign up to join in, from Radio DJs to Coronation Street stars and Love Island couples, you never know who you’re going to see running beside you.
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The Cause
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Last year’s event attracted over 26,000 participants who raised millions for good causes. This year we’re putting our hearts and ‘soles’ into raising money for the Unloc Changemakers Fund, a ring-fenced fund dedicated to awarding changemaker micro-grants to young people from disadvantaged communities. These grants give motivated young changemakers from across the UK the opportunity, resources and support they need to turn their ideas into real community-led projects that make a difference in their local area. With mentoring and guidance from Unloc, they can transform passion and creativity into determined and tangible social action.
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Join Us
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We are inviting our partners to join the movement and now is the perfect time to secure your place on our team, helping young people get their lives on track. Our finish line is their starting line for a brighter future.
What are you waiting for?
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Sign up, lace up and join us in Manchester this May by clicking here!
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Not able to run but want to support us? Click here to see our fundraising page
Last week was Hills Road Social Action Week 2022, an annual event encouraging young people to use their creative and entrepreneurial skills to raise money for causes that are important to them. We’re incredibly proud to reveal that now all the totals have been counted, the amazing students at Hills Road Sixth Form College have raised a staggering £38,891 for important causes and charities in the local area and beyond.
This was our fifth successful Social Action Week organised with Hills Road Sixth Form College in Cambridge. Each year, the students at the college are set a team challenge of raising a minimum of £200 in three days for a charity of their choice.
There has been huge success in previous years with students collectively raising thousands of pounds that can impact and improve the quality of people’s lives.
Whilst Social Action Week is a week for students to have fun, engage in community activity and raise money for charity – what it boils down to is a week of students enriching themselves in social action and when they put their minds to it, learning that they can make a huge difference and impact positively on society.
The Unloc team and the fantastic Enrichment and Tutor team at Hills Road led students in a project planning workshop in which they chose they discussed and decided upon the charities they wanted to support. They then set up social media campaigns and structured their week around various fundraising activities to work towards achieving their target.
During this time, the students came to understand what social action is, and more importantly the difference that they can make in their local community through raising awareness for their chosen cause.
We aimed to embed in the students from the beginning to choose something which they felt passionate about raising money and awareness for, and fundamentally knowing the difference their money could make.
A variety of charities were chosen such as The Kite Trust, Jimmy’s Cambridge, Water Aid, British-Ukrainian Aid and Teenage Cancer Trust to name but a few.
Once their Just Giving pages were set up, social media plans were made and fundraising goals were set they spent the next 3 days raising money for their chosen causes.
The young people encouraged their friends, families, loved ones and communities to follow and support them on Instagram and social media using the hashtag #hillssocialaction
By the end of the week, the students come together to present to their tutor groups and tutors the success they have achieved, what challenges they faced and to celebrate the differences they’ve made to their charities.
Programme Facilitator Stacey Bawden commented:
“The students at Hills Road Sixth Form College never fail to amaze me! Their ambition, drive and determination year upon year is astounding. Watching their efforts develop during the week from a flurry of ideas; to celebrating their success and hearing how impactful they have found Social Action Week makes me immensely proud of this project. This is easily why the week is quickly becoming one of the most exciting events in the Unloc calendar!”
Unloc’s Managing Director Hayden Taylor commented:
“Hills Road Social Action Week is by far one of our favourite events each year. It’s a real opportunity to make young people realise just how much they can achieve in such a small amount of time. Every year we see the students surprise themselves with how much money they’ve raised for important causes, and see the pride in the impact they know they’re having. A massive thank you to Hills Road Sixth Form College, the staff and the amazing young people who help make this annual event a reality.”
As a result of their hard work, dedication and motivation for supporting their cause – the students collectively raised a staggering £38,891.
The inspiring students at Hills Road have made an immense change to many lives through their efforts during Social Action Week 2022, learning many valuable lessons about themselves and the amazing things they can achieve when they put their minds and energy into making positive change.
Well done to everyone involved, it was an absolute pleasure working with you and we look forward to Hills Road Social Action Week 2023!
For more information about Hills Road Sixth Form College click here!
Could your school or college benefit from a Social Action Week event?
Get in touch with us using the Chat or Get In Touch buttons!
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Get ready to lace up your trainers and join Unloc for an exciting day at the Great Manchester Run! We’re getting our steps in to help give young changemakers a step up, as we take on the Great Manchester Run Half Marathon!
Check our our latest blog on an amazing groups of young people, the Aldershot Army Welfare Service Youth Voice Ambassadors Group, who won the Group Achievement Award in the Hart Youth Achievement Awards 2025!
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