The hard work has paid off for runners who participated in last year’s 30th Abbots Langley Tough Ten as charities and community organisations will now benefit from thousands of pounds in sponsorship.

After participating in the charity race, including 3k, 5k and 10k runs in October, runners have now raised approximately £8,000 in sponsorship for local charities and organisations.

At a presentation meeting on Friday in Breakspeare School, Abbots Langley, participants' hard work was celebrated and beneficiaries were awarded with cheques throughout the evening.

Alison Warner, secretary of the Tough Ten committee said:"It was such a lovely evening.

"We had over 45 people attend and the atmosphere was wonderful.

"Everyone was very excited and rewarding our beneficiaries with cheques just makes all the hard work really worthwhile."

The beneficiaries for the 30th Tough Ten race include Henderson Hall in Abbots Langley.

Lyn Luck received the £2,700 cheque on behalf of the hall to replace the stage curtains which are now worn out. The Peace Hospice and St Francis Hospice, both received £1,500 cheques.

Essex and Hertfordshire Air Ambulance Trust, which is run entirely by donations and needs £130,000 per month, received a £500 cheque.

Design and Manufacture for Disability (Demand) received a cheque of £1,000 to go towards designing more equipment for disabled people in the community. It was received by Denise Gillies.

Breakspeare School, also received a cheque of £400 along with Bedmond School who received a £400 cheque as a thank you for their fundraising.

The Monday Club and Friends of SW Herts Samaritans also received a £500 cheque.

Adam Phillips received a cheque for £287 which he will use to fund special ramps for his wheelchair. Linda North received the cheque on Mr Phillip’s behalf.

Debra Geard is running the London Marathon for Children with Cancer and the committee decided to give her a £100 cheque towards her sponsorship.

Pat Waterton, said: "It was heartening for the Tough Ten committee that so many children entered from the village schools, clubs and youth groups.

"We had a record number of entries (704) and two course records were broken."

Special thank you’s were also given to Simon Stanfield, who recently resigned from his role on the committee for ten years.

George Harrison, the founder of the Tough Ten race, which was originally a ten mile challenge, was also presented with a small token of appreciation.

Preparations for this year’s race will begin in March and participants can now look forward to signing up for the challenge which will take place on Sunday, October 6.