Marathon history
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, Carver's Group 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's headquarters building, which was completed in 2000. Since the inaugural event, over £200,000 has been raised directly by the annual event and has been shared between numerous local and regional charities. It is estimated that this amount has probably been doubled by individual runners and cyclists, who have raised funds for their particular chosen charities, thereby helping many less fortunate in the locale.
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.
Following this very sad event, Ivan Savage, Carver's Group sales director continued the work that Roy Carver had instigated and has chaired the marathon organising committee since 2004.
Ivan Savage retired aged 65 from the Carver main board in November 2008, but continues as a Director of Engineered Timber Solutions Ltd, a Carver Group company, based in Roddington, Shrewsbury and has a sales consultancy involvement with the main timber section of the Carver company.
He continues to Chair the marathon organising committee in 2010 and is a trustee of the Wolverhampton City marathon registered charity No 1122078
The Carver board have continued their support from 2000 to the present day together with sponsors including:
Carvers Building Supplies, Birmingham Midshires, BBC WM, Wolverhampton AdNews Greggs, Wolves FC, Marston’s, Carillion, Tarmac, Highland Spring, Brindley Garages Group, Simlex Group, Wolverhampton’s 107.7 The Wolf, Ron Flowers Sports, Adoption in the Black County, BDO Stoy Hayward, Wolverhampton Swimming & Fitness Centre, Wolverhampton City Council Leisure Services & Traffic Management, Raynet, Aquaforce Drain Services, Nuffield Health, St John Ambulance and West Midlands Police.
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, Wolverhampton Mencap and Mencap in the Midlands, Children’s Outpatients Department – New Cross Hospital, Brain Tumour UK, Diabetes UK West Midlands, Promise Dreams Wolverhampton, Alzheimers Society Wolverhampton and the Mayors chosen charities.
The event has been expanded since 1998 with the inclusion of :
- 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 5th, 2010 starting on the perimeter road around West Park.
