A POPULAR venue for one of the region’s biggest fundraising events has been scrapped in a reorganisation.

Essex University’s Wivenhoe campus has been dropped as one of the venues for next year’s Race For Life.

Instead, Cancer Research UK wants to stage a bigger run in Colchester’s Lower Castle Park.

The charity says it has to reduce the number of smaller events to streamline costs.

Colchester area event manager Gill Burgess said the move from the university to Lower Castle Park had been made for two reasons.

She explained further building work planned at the campus could potentially disrupt the event, and organisers did not have the option of increasing capacity – if there was the demand – at the university.

She added: “We have had a fantastic run of events at Essex University over the past five years, and we’re very grateful for all the support the university and the public has given us.

“However, it makes sense to combine resources and costs by putting the three events on one site in Lower Castle Park.

“We hope the women who have supported Race for Life at the university in the past will now come with us and join the one big weekend celebration at Lower Castle Park.”

Three Race for Life runs will be held in Lower Castle Park on July 2 and 3. Last year, 1,716 women took part in Race for Life at the university and 2,758 took part in Lower Castle Park. Together, they raised £249,528.

Cancer Research UK hopes 6,000 women will take part in the two combined events and predicts it will bring in more money. Visit www.raceforlife.org