One of Western Australia’s biggest community events, HBF Run for a Reason, will not go ahead in 2021.
HBF Managing Director John Van Der Wielen said cancelling the event for only the
second time in its 10-year history was both a difficult and responsible decision by
Western Australia’s most trusted health insurer.
“We don’t like making this decision, yet it is the right one,” Mr Van Der Wielen said.
“It is imperative that HBF does everything it can to contribute to broader efforts to
protect the health of all Western Australians, given the ongoing risk posed by COVID-19 and the new risk from its variant strains which can be easily and quickly
transmitted.
“We must also be mindful that among our participants are people recovering from
significant illnesses who are more susceptible to viral infections. We cannot put them
at risk.
“HBF has a responsibility to do what it can to support the efforts of the State
Government, the Chief Health Officer, the Health Department, frontline workers and
the community to keep WA as free of the virus as possible.”
Mr Van Der Wielen said the decision would be disappointing for HBF’s partners and
participants who were looking forward to running in 2021, following the cancellation of
last year’s event.
“Run for a Reason is a complex event which requires long lead times to organise and
stage,” he said.
“We believe it is important to make a decision as early as possible and give everyone
plenty of notice, so they can make any necessary plans to adjust to a year without Run
for a Reason.”
Participants and groups who had already started their fundraising efforts were
encouraged to continue to do so.
“We ask for everyone’s patience as we turn our attention to how HBF might find other
ways to support those organisations who traditionally rely on Run for a Reason to help
fund their operations,” Mr Van Der Wielen said.
Contact: Lauren Underhill, HBF Corporate Affairs, CorporateAffairs@hbf.com.au / 0438 925 050