By Oliver D, Matthew D, Matthew P ( BSc (Hons) Sport Management Students)
Organising a charity sporting event for 300 people might sound like a project for an experienced event planner. But for a group of Northumbria University students, it was an opportunity to learn about sports management by doing it for real.
As part of their Sports Management undergraduate degree, a team of students took on the challenge of organising an event to raise funds for a local North East charity, Children’s Cancer North.
From devising the event to delivering it safely, every detail was in their hands. The result? A hugely successful event that didn’t just raise money for charity, but boosted the students’ skills, confidence, and employability too.
Oliver D, Matthew D, Matthew P, Jake S and Dylan E.
Set up an event company, secure funding, and organise an ambitious sporting event to raise money for a good cause. Learn how to manage every part of the process – from coming up with a creative concept and doing marketing, to event logistics and execution.
The team created the Newcastle Colour Run, a family-friendly 5km fun run through the Town Moor, one of Newcastle’s famous parks. Behind the paint powder and upbeat energy was a lot of hard work.
First, the students had to come up with a concept for the event. ‘Ollie and I came up with it’ says Matthew D. ‘Most events are sports-related, like five-a-side football. We discussed other ideas like a darts event. But we agreed the Colour Run had broader appeal, as running is so popular right now. We thought it would attract a good number of participants.’
Next, they needed to find a location, but that wasn’t as quick or easy as they expected. ‘We tried a few places but they were too expensive,’ says Matthew D. ‘The Town Moor was our top choice as it’s central and accessible. But getting the right contacts there was difficult. We eventually got it via Parkrun. But they only meet monthly, so there were delays.’
‘We had our plan early on but couldn’t move forward without knowing where we could hold the run. We didn’t get confirmation until January or February, which made planning tricky,’ explains Oliver.
With the location secured, the team needed to find sponsors. They needed money to create marketing materials and start getting sign-ups to the event, otherwise they’d not be able to cover their costs.
‘We contacted loads of businesses and sent maybe 100 emails,’ says Matthew D. ‘We thought people would just reply but they didn’t!’ However, perseverance paid off and the team secured sponsorship from Deep North, Firestone Pizza, and Fitness Fraternity.
They also made a strategic decision to partner with an events business to help sell tickets and secure resources.
‘We worked with RunNation,’ says Oliver. ‘They let us use a generator, start line inflatable, and other race equipment. In return, we helped at their Valentine’s Day event. So that gave us more experience, as well as access to things we needed for our event.’
‘In exchange for 5% of our revenue, they hosted our event on their website, which gave us loads more visibility and helped us raise awareness,’ says Matthew P.
They also used social media to promote the event for free, stretching their budget and quickly gaining 1,000 followers on Instagram.
Plus, they designed, printed, and distributed flyers. Something Oliver never thought he’d have the confidence to do! ‘A few months ago, I’d never have approached strangers to pitch something, but now I can.’
Their hard work paid off. ‘With no university funding, we had to rely on sponsors and ticket sales,’ explains Oliver. ‘We hit about 85 sign-ups. Then got over 200 more in the final few days through intense promotion.’
On the day, the students arrived at the park early to mark out the route, brief the volunteers, and register runners. The event was a huge success and raised much-needed funds for children’s cancer care in the city.
The project wasn’t just about raising funds. It was about the team getting hands-on experience in their chosen field.
It was challenging but rewarding. For example, Matthew D highlighted how the event forced him to get out of his comfort zone and speak in public. ‘I stood on a box with a megaphone in front of 300 runners to get the crowd engaged and excited to start the run,’ says Matthew D. ‘It was nerve-wracking but amazing.’
The team learned so much from the project. ‘ It’s real-life learning,’ says Matthew P. ‘We’ve learned time management, communication, organisation, confidence, all things you need in the real world.’
This practical experience gives the students a head start when it comes to applying for jobs in the future, as Oliver explains. ‘I’d recommend this module. It was a lot of work but the experience is invaluable. It’s something that really stands out on your CV.’
The fact the team delivered this event alongside their other studies and part-time work makes it all the more impressive.
The colour run was a clear success, both as a charity event and a learning opportunity. The team got a crash course in events organisation and developed a valuable toolkit of transferable skills in the process, including decision-making, problem-solving, communication, time management, and more.
It also helped the students see how their university course connects to the real world and gave them confidence for the next step in their studies and careers.
‘It’s made me want to work in events even more,’ says Matthew D. Oliver agrees, saying ‘I did a work placement with the Great Run company too and it’s reinforced that I want to go into events management’.
The students wanted to say a massive thank you to their sponsors, who made the event possible, as well as their charity partner for their vital work in region.
Real-world projects are just one way students could get hands-on experience at Northumbria University. We call it experiential learning and there are lots of ways to get involved.
Depending on your course, you might be able to get involved with professional projects, workplace simulations, industry placements, internships, and more.
Find out more on our Experiential Learning hub.
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