EST. 2017

On the summer solstice, a small group of friends (Greg, Marc, Shawn, Tom) started a run to celebrate the longest day of the year and the start of astronomical summer. Each year, more friends joined. When the weather was good, we’d hang out afterwards and watch the sunset from the beach. Fast forward to 2025. The solstice arrived to a hot Saturday evening. 57 new and familiar faces squeezed in for the team photo. In September, Run For The Sun was branded and got social. A winter solstice run was added for December ~ creating a free, biannual running event on the Isle of Sheppey.

31.12.2025

EVENTS

Held twice a year in June and December. Turn up and run is the motto. Everyone is welcome. Running is free. We meet at Hut 7 on Minster Beach. The route is an out and back. We run for time, not distance, so that everyone makes the finish at roughly the same time. In the summer we run at 7.30pm for 60 minutes. We hang out on the beach or the slopes for a low-key solstice afterparty from 8.30pm. BYO food, drink, games, music, blankets, and stay for the sunset (9.17pm). In the winter we run at 9.00am for 40 minutes. We hang out at the huts for a while before heading home. Usually by 10.00am. Hit it, quit it. It’s (usually) the last Sunday before Xmas.

DIRECTIONS

Roads to the Island are signposted ‘A249/Sheerness’. Once over the bridge, turn right at both roundabouts and head towards Leysdown/Minster. The post code for sat nav is ME12 2NL. The beach huts are down the slope at the far end of The Leas on Minster Beach Path; close to w3w: ///running.grant.cushy.

PARKING

Little Oyster Car Park is just behind the beach huts. Parking for approx. 30 vehicles. Includes marked disabled bays. Additional kerbside parking along The Leas.

FACILITIES

Council owned and operated public toilets are within 100 metres of the huts at the top of the slope on Minster Beach Path. Generally open during daylight hours and include, gents, ladies, disabled toilets, and baby changing facilities.

COMMUNITY

The cost of anything provided to participants at the start / finish line is met by RFTS as part of its commitment to give back to the local community. Includes bottled water, fruit, Haribo. From summer 2026, finishers merch will form a unique series over time. Always free. Available only at the finish line. Never repeated. Never reproduced.

DONATION

RFTS donates promotional pins to vendors, and gives them away to runners during regular runs along the promenade between Minster Beach Huts and Sheerness.

VENDORS

~ Love At First Trike

POP-UP

IRL. Twice a year.

TRANSPARENCY

Run For The Sun is a Not For Profit (NFP). Along with the community and donation initiatives; costs for other promotional materials such as flags, flyers, posters, and digital services such as web and domain hosting are met by RFTS. The pop-up operates as a NFP.

COLLABORATION

Mark and Angela kindly open up their beach hut on event days so that we have a run HQ, and a bag drop if needed. Consider supporting Mark’s Boxing Day Swim if you haven’t already. The event day media sharing app was built and is maintained by local security and software company, Seeway.

THANK YOU

Everyone who appears (knowingly or not) in RFTS posts and reels, The Leas parkrun, and everyone who comes out to an event.

SUSTAINABILITY

RFTS are always looking to engage with local businesses, individuals, and clubs, to explore ways to help support each other within the community. To discuss opportunities, please drop an email.

20.03.2026

MISC