With plans for this year’s Destination Basingstoke Phillips Half Marathon and 10K run taking shape, Phillips Solicitors have signed a three-year deal as headline sponsors until 2022.

The leading law firm, based in London Street, Basingstoke, has been involved with the Basingstoke Half Marathon since the inaugural event in 2011 and has been headline sponsor since 2014.

Organised by Destination Basingstoke, the 13.1-mile race, which starts at War Memorial Park and goes through the beautiful countryside of Cliddesden, Ellisfield and Farleigh Wallop, is rated as one of the top 10 half-marathons in the country by Runner’s World magazine.

This year, a 10K run will also take place alongside the half marathon and will involve a less hilly route.

Phillips Solicitors senior director Howard Gardener said: “We are very pleased to be sponsoring such a prominent local event with the Basingstoke Half Marathon along with the 10K run and we are delighted to be providing sponsorship for a further three years, securing the future of this popular and important event.”

“We are proud of our Basingstoke roots and look forward to seeing the local community come together for the event on Sunday October 6.”

Howard added: “There will be colleagues from Phillips Solicitors volunteering at the event and we will also have some energetic runners taking part in Team Phillips, including my son Jack and myself, although I am not quite so energetic.”

“We hope to have a team of 50 runners who we will be encouraging to support the Pelican Cancer Foundation which is a locally based charity that does tremendous work in helping to fight against “below-the-belt” cancers.”

Phillips director Jack Gardener, who completed last year’s half marathon in an impressive one hour and 39 minutes, is very much looking forward to running in this year’s half marathon.

He said: “Supporting this magnificent event is just one of the ways we like to show our commitment to the community and raise the positive profile of Basingstoke.”

“Now very much part of the Basingstoke calendar, we have seen the event grow and develop in popularity and this year with the 10K run even more people will have an opportunity to participate.

“It’s a wonderful way of bringing people of all ages and abilities together and a source of great pride in the community as well as to raise funds for charity.”

Felicity Edwards, managing director of Destination Basingstoke said: “We are so pleased that Phillips want to continue their headline sponsorship of the Basingstoke Half Marathon. They have been such an important part of the event from the beginning with their name appearing on thousands of T-shirts over the last nine years.”

“Their continuing commitment is a real vote of confidence that the half marathon – and now the 10k too – are events that businesses want to be associated with and the positive message it sends the world about our town.”

“The race simply couldn’t go ahead without them. The running community will be just as grateful to Phillips Solicitors as we are at Destination Basingstoke for securing the future of the Basingstoke Half Marathon until 2022 and we look forward to welcoming their huge and enthusiastic corporate team on October 6.”

To find out more about the Destination Basingstoke Phillips Half Marathon and 10K run and to sign up to participate please visit www.destinationbasingstoke.co.uk/basingstoke-half-marathon/

The Phillips Pelican Cancer Foundation fundraising page can be found at https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/Team/TeamPhillips2