Alcohol-free ‘O’tea’ly Run’ raises £1,500 for Leeds children's charity
The alcohol-free 'O'tea'ly Run' in Leeds raised over £1,500 for a children's charity, proving a day out on Otley Road need not involve alcohol
A “tea-total” twist on Leeds’ famous Otley Run has raised at least £1,500 for a local children's charity while proving you don't need alcohol to enjoy a day out on Otley Road.
The family-friendly event, known as the "O’tea’ly Run" and dubbed an alcohol-free alternative to the traditional student pub crawl, was organised by teacher Shazia Farooqui, who lives in Adel and regularly travels along Otley Road with her children.
She said the idea for the event, which was held on Sunday (July 5), grew out of her children's curiosity about the pub crawl.
"You see all the Otley Runners in their costumes, and it just looks like a lot of fun," she said. "My kids have always asked questions like, 'Why are they doing it?' and 'Can't we dress up?'"
As a non-drinker, she wanted to create something that captured the same sense of fun but was open to everyone.
"I just thought it would be really nice to do something for the community that was inclusive, no matter what your age or background," she said. "Do what they're doing, have a lot of fun, wear the costumes, but make it something that's for everybody."
Working with Leeds-based charity Give a Gift, which this year is supporting neonatal charity Friends of Alfie Martin, Shazia decided to turn the idea into a fundraiser.
The event started at Lavanta, just up the road from where the traditional Otley Run begins, which opened early to serve tea, coffee and pastries. The Lord Mayor of Leeds, local MP Alex Sobel and Friends of Alfie Martin founder Fiona Martin were all there to welcome participants.
From there, around 200 participants in fancy dress made their way down Otley Road, stopping for iced tea, Turkish delight and other refreshments at the Ascot Grange Hotel, Caffeine Addict and other venues.
Shazia admitted some people initially "laughed at the idea" of a non-drinking Otley Run.
"People were saying, 'How's that going to work?' and 'How many cups of tea can you drink?'" she said. "It's not just about drinking tea – it's about doing something that's really fun and having those stops, just like the Otley Run has."
The event finished with a tea party accompanied by the Love Pop Choir in Hyde Park.
With the inaugural O’tea’ly Run now complete, and with families, non-drinkers and even traditional Otley Runners embracing the concept, Shazia hopes to make it an annual event.
"I now think it should become an annual summer event," she said. "It's the Otley Run with a twist."