The Hanley Economic Potters ’Arf Marathon returns to Stoke-on-Trent on Sunday 28th September 2025, bringing with it the excitement, challenge, and community spirit the event is famous for.
Known for its warm atmosphere, challenging course, and the infamous Heartbreak Hill at 11.5 miles, the ’Arf has become a highlight in the local and national running calendar.
This year, among the runners, walkers, and relay teams taking part are Hettie Williams, Grace Baker, and the Rebus Training team – all raising vital funds for The Hubb Foundation.
We caught up with them all to find out what the event means to them, how they’re preparing, and why The Hubb Foundation is so close to their hearts, and we’ll share their stories over the forthcoming days.
Starting with the Rebus Training team…
Rebus Training: 500 Miles for The Hubb Foundation
The team at Rebus Training loves a good challenge and even better, a fundraiser! This year, they’ve set themselves an incredible mission to support us, their charity of the year.
From now until race day, the team is aiming to clock up a combined total of 500 miles by walking, jogging, running, rowing, swimming, cycling and climbing – finishing with a big finale at the Hanley Economic Potters ’Arf Marathon. Every step, stroke, and pedal is in aid of the incredible work The Hubb Foundation does to support vulnerable children and families across Stoke-on-Trent.
With 19,000 children in the city living in absolute poverty, this challenge isn’t just about fitness – it’s about making a real difference. Every mile they cover and every pound they raise will help provide meals, activities, and safe spaces for local children who need them most.
We caught up with the team to find out what the Potters ’Arf means to them, how they’re preparing, and why they’re so passionate about fundraising for The Hubb Foundation.
Q: What does taking part in the Potters ’Arf Marathon mean to you, and why have you chosen to support The Hubb Foundation?
Team Rebus:
“We decided to take part in the Potters ‘Arf Marathon because it’s a fantastic local challenge here in our hometown. There is always a great atmosphere with fantastic support from the local community. As a team, at Rebus, this is the third time we have completed the Potters ‘Arf and it’s great to get involved again this year especially with it being the 20th Anniversary year of the marathon.
At Rebus, we have been supporting the Hubb Foundation through various fundraising activities for a few years, including organising Christmas selection box appeals, summer holiday food bank collections and charity raffles. Both Carol Shanahan OBE, Founder and Patron of the Hubb Foundation and Adam Yates, Chief Operating Officer have both joined us on separate occasions as guest speakers at our annual awards evenings, sharing with the wider Rebus community the incredible work the Hubb Foundation does to help the most disadvantaged children and families in our local area. From our time spent with their team, we have seen firsthand their unwavering commitment to supporting the most vulnerable families – an approach that is truly inspirational.
As a team at Rebus, we are determined to do everything we can to support their cause.”
Q: How is Team Rebus tackling the ‘Arf Marathon this year?
Team Rebus:
We have a team of four taking part in the Potters ‘Arf this year – our Senior Tutor Shaun Eardley will be running the race and myself Anne Edge, Business Development & Marketing Coordinator and one of Rebus Training Directors Gary Jackson, intend to take it at a slower pace and walk the route alongside a good friend of mine, Kristen Webber who always kindly gets involved with Team Rebus’s fundraising activities. On the wrong side of 40 with a collection of dodgy knees, hips and backs between us, we intend to give it our best shot on the day! We will have collection buckets to hopefully raise some extra funds on the day also.
In addition to the Potters ‘Arf, as a full staff team, we have set ourselves a challenge to clock up a combined 500 miles throughout August and September to raise further funds for the Hubb Foundation. This is something our whole team is getting involved with. We will be racking up miles by walking, jogging, running, rowing, swimming and climbing then finishing with the Potters ‘Arf Marathon as the finale!
Q: How are you preparing for the big day – any training tips, local running routes, or motivational playlists you’d like to share at this stage?
Team Rebus:
Shaun is taking the more professional approach, he’s already a regular at the gym, he’s tailored his training to include local runs covering plenty of miles. Gary and I on the other hand, are perhaps taking more of a “wing it and hope for the best” approach. I do enjoy getting out walking though, so spots like Tittesworth Reservoir, Knypersley Pool, and Rudyard Lake are perfect for a good hike while building up some stamina…
Q: Heartbreak Hill is famous among runners for this marathon – how do you plan to tackle this challenge, or what are your thoughts about it?
Team Rebus:
Heartbreak hill is a killer, even at a walking pace but we have staggered up it before so I am confident we can do it again!
Q: Can you tell us about your fundraising journey – how are you raising awareness and encouraging donations for The Hubb Foundation?
Team Rebus:
We are promoting our fundraising via Rebus Training’s social media channels, newsletters and in our Tunstall based Electrical training centre. Here’s the link to our JustGiving page:
Next up in our runner series, we’ll be catching up with Hettie Williams to hear her story so far – from first time race nerves to the motivation that’s keeping her going.
