The Nationwide Building Society New Swindon Half Marathon will not take place until 2021

The covid-safe version of the annual event has been cancelled due to ongoing community pandemic concerns in Swindon.

Due to the ongoing concern of higher incidence of COVID-19 in Swindon and the towns’ status on the Public Health England watchlist, organisers of the Nationwide Building Society New Swindon Half Marathon have announced the cancellation of the event that was due to take place on Sunday 20 September 2020.

All runners who had already entered have been contacted by email.

Authorities in Swindon have praised the “outstanding planning” developed by organisers to offer an adapted event, but cited the current spike in COVID-19 cases in Swindon that “remain cause for concern” as the sole reason that the event should not go ahead this year.

“We simply can’t be sure that the current COVID-19 situation in Swindon will have improved sufficiently in the next four weeks” said Richard Parr, of organising company The Race Organiser Ltd.

“Even though our plans demonstrate how an adapted version of the event could be offered with no impact on community transmission, it’s not responsible for us to bring any number of people into the affected postcodes and have them disperse to their respective communities.”

“Whilst its hugely disappointing for runners, local businesses and the charities who so desperately need the support that the event generates, public health has to come first. We’ll be back on Sunday 19 September 2021 to offer the unrestricted, brilliant event that Swindon deserves.”

Further details for runners entered into this year’s event and all those wishing to enter the 2021 event now are at www.newswindonhalf.co.uk.