The Carver Wolverhampton City Marathon history and sponsors involvement

The Wolverhampton Marathon was first organised in 1982 and became an annual event in the town up to 1987.

There was then an eleven year gap when the event disappeared completely from the towns calendar of events.

In 1997, Roy Carver, then Chairman of Carver (Wolverhampton) Limited was appointed as the Area President of the St. John Ambulance and headed a committee to raise funds to construct the new Wolverhampton headquarters in Wharf Street.

Various fundraising events were considered and a chance conversation between Roy Carver and Ivan Savage, Carvers Sales Director, an experienced marathon runner and triathlete, brought to the fore the possibility of resurrecting the Marathon and an accompanying Half Marathon race.

Roy Carver immediately set about raising support from the Police, Wolverhampton MBC and business sponsors including his own Board at Carvers who agreed to underwrite any losses the event might incur in return for the approval that the event would be known as the Carver Wolverhampton Marathon.

The 1998 event raised a total of £28,565 for the St. John headquarters building, which was completed in 2000.

Tragically, Roy Carver died suddenly in March 2000, following minor routine surgery, prior to the official opening of the new headquarters now known as the Roy Carver Centre.

The Carver board have continued their support from 2000 to the present day together with past and present major sponsors:
Birmingham Midshires, Express and Star, Wolverhampton AdNews, Greggs, Carillion, BBC WM, Beacon Radio, Clarity Print Group, RDS Recruitment, Hylton Peugeot, Tarmac, Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweries, Danone Evian, Wolverhampton Nuffield, Wolverhampton Plastics, Renault Wolverhampton, Wolves FC, Wolverhampton University, Brindley Autopark, Highland Spring and of course the City Council and Police authorities.

As well as St. John Ambulance, the following charities have benefited since 1998:
Wolverhampton Coronary Aftercare Support Group, New Cross Neo-natal Unit, Acorns Children's Hospice, Westcroft Community Foundation, Compton Hospice, MacMillan Cancer Relief, the Wolverhampton branch of the Multiple Sclerosis Society, Believe 2 Achieve, Shropshire Deaf Children's society, The Haven Wolverhampton, Tettenhall Wood School, Stroke Support West Midlands, West Park Hospital League of Friends, Wolverhampton Rheumatology Support Group, Wolverhampton & Midlands Counties Eye Infirmaries – League of Friends, St Anthonys Cheshire Home and the Mayors chosen charities.

The event has been expanded since 1998 with the inclusion of a:

• Relay Challenge - A team of five runners who will run approximately 2.5 miles each, over the half marathon course.
• Cycle Event - Appeals particularly to families. The cycle event has grown beyond expectations and is now one of the most popular events.

All four events will be repeated on September 7th, 2008 starting on the perimeter road around West Park.

If you have a question that we haven't answered in this section please email: marathonsecretary@carvers.co.uk - we'd love to hear it!

Carver Wolverhampton City Marathon (Registered Charity no. 1122078)