Purplewave 2026: 10 years of rising to the challenge
04 Jun 2026
Huge congratulations to everybody who took part!
On Sunday (29 May), 236 of you took part in our 10th Purple Wave – taking to the streets of Manchester alongside over 350 students, alumni, and family and friends to complete the Great Manchester 10k.
Participants put in a tremendous effort despite the heat, including Barnabee (our bee mascot!) who walked the whole route alongside our President and Vice Chancellor Duncan Ivison.
Some of this group took the challenge even further by fundraising for meaningful causes. From Saeed who raised money for dementia in honour of his Mum, to Alejandro who ran for the third time for cancer research after being personally impacted by the disease, each participant had their own why to motivate them to the finish line.
Over £9700 (and counting!) has been raised so far, and it’s not too late to donate here if you’d like to support any of the causes at the heart of our community.
Further information
- Feeling inspired? Register your interest here for Purplewave 2027!
- Find out more about Challenge accepted, our first-ever global fundraising and volunteering campaign