Eldon Square Ambassador Takes On In-Centre Half Marathon for CHUF
Eldon Square 2026 ambassador Rebecca Baty, known to her followers as @rebbeebee, has completed an incredible half-marathon inside Eldon Square to raise vital funds for Children’s Heart Unit Fund (CHUF).
On Friday 23 October, Rebecca set off at 10am to complete 26 laps of Eldon Square, covering 13.1 miles in 5 hours and 45 minutes. By the end of the challenge, she had clocked an impressive 36,586 steps, cheered on by visitors, retailers and the CHUF team throughout the day.
The fundraising walk supported CHUF, a North East charity that helps babies, children and adults born with heart conditions, alongside their families, by providing vital equipment, facilities, research and support for the Children’s Heart Unit at Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital.
Visitors who would like to support Rebecca’s brilliant effort can still donate via her fundraising page: https://www.justgiving.com/page/rebecca-seven-appeal?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=CL
Helen Cowie, Centre Director at Eldon Square, said: “We are incredibly proud of Rebecca for taking on this fantastic challenge in support of such an important local charity. It’s a first for the centre to see a challenge of this kind, and it was wonderful to see everyone come together to encourage her throughout the day. We hope people will continue to support her fundraising for CHUF!”
Charlotte Campbell, Director of Fundraising & Operations at Chuf, added: “We’re so grateful to Rebecca for taking on such a brilliant challenge for Chuf. Walking a half marathon inside Eldon Square is definitely a first for us, and it was fantastic to see so many people cheering her on throughout the day.
“Fundraising like this helps us continue to be there for Heart Heroes and their families across the North East, from funding vital equipment and services to providing practical and emotional support when it’s needed most. A huge thank you to Rebecca, Eldon Square and everyone who helped make the day a success.”
Rebecca Baty, Eldon Square's 2026 Ambassador, also added: "Chuf is an amazing charity that does so much for the local community and for families with heart heroes around the UK. The work they do is vital and funds raised for them go directly towards helping children and adults who have had, or who need, heart transplants and supporting their loved ones during some of the hardest times in their lives, so being able to raise awareness of them is a privilege.
Bringing Chuf and Eldon Square together is one of the highlights for me, being an Eldon Square ambassador for 2026. Just as Chuf support healthy hearts, Eldon Square is part of the heart of Newcastle, so it only makes sense to bring them both together. And hopefully using my social media platform to shine a light on why I’m walking unique half marathon will help to spread the message of the great work Chuf do!"
