When the annual Woodbourne half-marathon run/walk event gets under way on Sunday near Blenheim, one young girl in particular will have more than just finishing in mind.

Renwick School pupil Amy Chee, 7, is doing the 5km run section of the event and is combining her run with a fundraising effort to help a fellow Renwick girl.

Sophie Gilchrist, 5, is in Christchurch with her parents, receiving treatment for leukaemia.

Sophie's older sister, Izabell, is in Amy's class, and Amy's father, Rob Chee, suggested to his daughter that she could maybe combine her run with a fundraiser.

"She thought it was a good idea and got stuck in," he said.

"I'm amazed at how well she's done. She's raised several hundred dollars so far."

Rob Chee has been encouraging other children to enter and run with his daughter, because race organisers, the Woodbourne Multisport Club, will donate the race entry fee of any children wanting to do that, to the appeal.

Four Renwick mothers, Kelly Robertson, Denise Pincott, Mel Hammond and Angie Holdaway were organising other fundraising activities for Sophie's family, and Robertson said they were thrilled Amy was doing her bit.

Anyone who would like to contribute to the fundraiser, including providing goods or services to a planned silent auction, can contact Robertson on 021 689280.

The main focus on Sunday will be the 21.1km half-marathon run.

It is the 30th anniversary of the event and a spokesman for the Woodbourne Multisports Club, Lindsay Norris, hopes to have around 300 people taking part in the various categories on offer, which include the half-marathon run, a 10km run, 5km run, hybrid over the half-marathon, and a half-marathon walk.

The runs/walks start and finish on the Woodbourne sports fields, beside the former golf club building, with the half-marathon walk and hybrid categories first away at 9am followed by the half-marathon run at 10am. The shorter runs start at 10.15am.

Norris said most people enter on the day and weather conditions usually decide the numbers.

The half-marathon course runs up Brancott Valley, the Wrekin and Omaka Valley, some of it off-road, over a course with plenty of variety.

Registration and late entries will be taken from 7.30am-9.45am at the Woodbourne Golf Club building and there is no late entry fee.

Norris said there were about $500 of spot prizes, and prizegiving will start at 1pm outside the golf club or inside the red gymnasium if wet.

- The Marlborough Express

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