Three friends from Bedford who recently took up running have raised £1,860 for East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) after completing challenges at London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
Azad Uddin, 26, a primary school teacher, completed the 5km parkrun, while Aqeeb Hanif, 29, a paramedic, and Zain Hanif, 26, an accountant, tackled the 10km distance on Saturday, 11 July 2026.
Azad and Zain have been friends since their school days, while Aqeeb is Zain’s older brother.
The trio initially set a fundraising target of £500 but exceeded expectations after calling on their local sports networks for backing.
Azad Uddin, a primary school teacher, said: “When I saw how much we’d raised, I was astonished. Our total had jumped up, and that made me feel humbled and overwhelmed.
“We play a lot of team sport, including football, so asked our friends and team-mates to support us and, thankfully, they gave very generously.
“I did the 5K and felt it went well. I probably went off a bit quickly – the adrenaline got the better of me – but I managed to pace myself in the second half and was really pleased to complete it.
“It was a great event and very enjoyable. Even though I haven’t been running for long, I’m the kind of person who likes having something to work towards. Having an end goal spurs me on.
“Aqeeb and Zain are also relatively new to running, and they both did brilliantly.
“Both were pleased with their times, and we were all delighted to complete our challenges.”
Positive difference
The friends, who work in different professions, were united by a shared goal to make a positive difference.
Azad, who finished his 5km run in 38 minutes and 13 seconds, said: “We all felt strongly about raising funds for a charity that supports children and families.
“As a primary school teacher, that’s especially important to me and, after learning more about EACH, we were all incredibly impressed.
“It’s a local charity that does so much amazing work, providing specialist care and support when families need it most. It was our pleasure to help in a small way by taking on this challenge.”
