Active, healthy, happy tamariki

Over the past four years, a community programme has helped hundreds of Wellington tamariki participate in one of the capital’s largest events.

Run & Become, a Pōneke-based community programme, provides children from low-decile schools with the opportunity to compete in the Brendan Foot Supersite Round the Bays.

Sponsored by MAS, the Run & Become programme offers free entry and transport for students and their whānau into the MAS 5.5 kilometre Fun Run/Walk category as well as t-shirts to participate in and a medal to honour their achievement. Going beyond the event day, the programme gets participants ready with accessible training sessions, tailored workshops and education on healthy habits.

Brendan Foot Supersite Round the Bays is organised by Nuku Ora, previously Sport Wellington, a not-for-profit that uses the funds generated by the event to deliver equitable physical activity opportunities, including Run & Become.

Event manager Patrick Pierce says the organisation has a vision of hauora – the aim of everyone being “active, healthy and happy.”

“We recognise that access to physical activity is not equitable across our communities, so Nuku Ora delivers community-based programmes that reduce barriers to being physically active”

Run & Become was launched as a pilot in 2019 to increase the wellbeing of tamariki in the community, remove barriers for young people to participate, and promote the benefit of spending time together while engaging in physical activity. Since then, over 2,800 tamariki and their whānau members have participated in the 5.5km Fun Run/Walk.

Patrick says it has been incredible seeing the programme grow over the past four years and has shown the health and wellbeing benefits that physical activity provides.

“It’s always such a great feeling to see tamariki cross the finish line with their whānau and enjoy an iconic day out in Wellington.”

Amy Walker, Nuku Ora Run & Become Advisor, says, “The Run & Become programme not only provides tamariki and their whānau an opportunity to participate in a large community event, but also hopes to inspire lifelong engagement in physical activity. It’s awesome to bring whānau together and improve the wellbeing in our communities.”

This year Run & Become welcomed 300 students from 12 schools across Wellington City, Porirua, Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt and the Wairarapa to participate. Each student was invited to bring one caregiver to take part alongside them, who also received free event entry.