• The 41^st edition takes place on Bank Holiday Sunday 4^th June in Dublin City Centre
• Vhi survey on Irish women’s walking and running habits and motivations finds:
  
• Over half of Irish women (52%) reduce or stop walking or running activity during their period
• 57% of those experiencing menopausal symptoms say walking or running helps overcome these symptoms
• 77% believe signing up to a mass participation event with friends or family would help them with achieving their walking or running goals.

Register now on www.vhiwomensminimarathon.ie

13^th March 2023 - Businesswoman and Vhi ambassador Aimee Connolly today launched the 2023 Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon at Vhi Offices, Dublin. The 10k event, now in its 41^st year, will take place on Bank Holiday Sunday June 4^th at an earlier start time of 12:30pm. The event is open to all those who wish to walk, jog or run the 10km route through Dublin City Centre.  

To mark the launch of this year’s Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon, Vhi commissioned a body of research with 500 women who either walk or run to get a better understanding of Irish women’s running and walking habits. The key findings of this research are:

• 43% of Irish women said they walk and run as normal while on their period
  
• 37% said they reduce their activity while on their period
•  15% said they stop their fitness activity while on their period
•  Reasons given by those who stop walking or running were feeling fatigued (63%), lacking motivation (38%), feeling bloated or conscious they may leak (both 33%).
•  57% of women experiencing menopausal symptoms said that walking or running helps them to overcome these symptoms

The 2023 Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon will be a celebration of togetherness, and whether you participate with friends, family or by yourself, you’ll be part of a special community. 77% of Irish women who walk or run believe signing up to a mass participation event with friends or family would help them with achieving their walking or running goal.

The research also found that 74% of walkers and runners prefer to undertake their activity with friends or family. The main reasons cited were:

• As a source of motivation (60%)
• To provide company and conversation (57%)
• To provide encouragement (43%)
• To feel safe (40%)

To help women across Ireland prepare for the event, Vhi has teamed up with Aimee Connolly, along with other inspirational partners to help you prepare for the Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon in a manageable way. Between now and June 4th, follow @VhiWMM on social or visit vhiwomensminimarathon.ie for training plans tailored to all fitness levels, nutrition support and much more.

Registration for the event is now open on www.vhiwomensminimarathon.ie. Every participant will receive a Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon finishers medal, and the first 10,000 participants who opt in when registering will receive a Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon t-shirt. Further to that, Vhi customers can claim back the event entry fee via the Vhi app.

David O’Leary, General Manager, Women’s Mini Marathon, commented:  “We are delighted to bring the Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon to the streets of Dublin city for the 41^st time this year.  Not only is the Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon an annual celebration of women coming together for fun, fitness and fundraising, the event also plays an important role in promoting the health and wellbeing of women all over Ireland and beyond; something that is backed up by the findings of the consumer research conducted by our title sponsors Vhi. We look forward to welcoming 25,000 women into the city this June Bank Holiday weekend.”

Brighid Smyth, Head of Corporate Communications in Vhi said, “Vhi are proud to be the title sponsor of the Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon, an event that is part of the fabric of Irish society. This event is a celebration of women and everyone has different reasons for taking part whether its fitness related, to raise funds for a cause or to enjoy a day out with family and friends. Whatever the reason, joining 25,000 women on the streets of Dublin in the biggest event of its kind, is very powerful. In Vhi we are committed to helping people live longer, stronger, healthier lives and our partnership with the Women’s Mini Marathon helps us to deliver this.

Aimee Connolly, entrepreneur and Vhi Ambassador said, “I'm really excited to be working with Vhi this year again for the Vhi Women's Mini Marathon. It was such an incredible shared experience last year as part of a community of thousands of other women walking, jogging and running through the streets of Dublin. Vhi has teamed up with some brilliant women to provide inspiration over the next 12 weeks to race day, so whether you're looking for recipe ideas, training routines or just to hear the story of someone else on the journey to June 4th, stay tuned to Vhi Women's Mini Marathon social media channels! I am really looking forward to participating in this event alongside some really inspiring and wonderful women this year. ”

ENDS

Notes to the Editor:

*Research with 500 female runners and walkers of all ages conducted by 3Gem on behalf of Vhi between Monday 27^th February and Monday 7^th March 2023.

About Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon

The Vhi Women's Mini Marathon is now in its 41^st year. The first Women’s Mini Marathon began in Dublin in 1983 with 9,000 entrants, it has grown in popularity and the event now hosts 25,000 women on the June bank holiday weekend. Women from across the 32 counties of Ireland, U.K. and Europe take part each year to raise vital funds for their chosen charities and causes. 

The Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon is a world-class sporting event and is dedicated to helping women across Ireland to achieve their fitness goals. The Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon has become an important part of Irish culture and a celebration for Irish women aged 14 and over. The event caters for women who wish to walk or jog for fun while also catering for competitive runners. It is not only women who have benefited from the event, but charities are also the big winners.  The Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon is the single biggest charity fundraising event in Ireland. An estimated €226m has been raised for charity since its beginning in 1983. All charities benefit as it is the women themselves who decide who they will support, and many local causes gain vital revenue from the event. 

First price increase by Vhi in two years following a price reduction in 2022 and the return of €450m in premium waivers over the last three years

26th January 2023: Vhi today announced that it will increase premiums by an average of 4.8% across its health insurance plans from 1st March 2023. The increase is due to the increased demand for healthcare and the rising costs of providing healthcare to customers. The price increase is necessary to ensure that Vhi can continue to meet the costs of providing healthcare to its customers in 2023 and beyond. This is the first price increase in two years, following a price reduction in 2022 and the return of €450m in premium waivers to customers over the past three years.

The cost of meeting customers’ healthcare needs has increased significantly in the last twelve months as demand for healthcare services returns to pre-pandemic levels. This trend also reflects pent-up demand for healthcare services resulting from periods of reduced access to services over the last two years. In parallel, there has been a significant increase in the costs associated with the delivery of healthcare due to increases in wage, energy and other costs, including infection control. Many of these supply cost pressures are amplified by world events, impacting all sectors and all industries.  

Commenting on the price increase, Mr Aaron Keogh, MD, Vhi Insurance DAC said “We understand that our customers are already dealing with the pressure of rising costs across the economy and we have made every effort to keep the price increase as low as possible. However, because of these cost pressures, the price increase is necessary.  This is to ensure that we continue to meet the healthcare needs of our customers, giving them access to new and innovative drugs, procedures, technologies and services as required to meet their medical needs now and into the future.”

He concluded: “Vhi exists solely to meet the healthcare needs of our customers and all premium income received is dedicated to delivering and meeting the healthcare needs of our customers and patients. Any surplus generated is invested in improving services, expanding the care that we deliver or is returned as value to our customers. We continue to focus on managing costs and managing efficiencies in our business in order to keep prices affordable.  In addition, we offer our customers options to access care in a variety of different settings in the community and there has been a rapid acceleration in the development of our digital services. Last year there were close to half a million healthcare interactions with Vhi’s Health & Wellbeing services. We are committed to ensuring that we can continue to innovate in how we deliver healthcare – specifically through the introduction of new services and new facilities such as our Vhi 360 Health Clinics, digital and tele-health services, Hospital@Home, Vhi Health Screening facilities, Vhi Midwife Support Service and Vhi’s National Clinical Call Centre.”

ENDS

Issued by:

Brighid Smyth / Niamh Walker                               

Vhi Group Services DAC

Ph: 01 6147348 / 01 887 1825                    

M: 086 8270905 / 086 608 6764

Editors Notes

Examples of Price Changes

Ahead of Blue Monday, Vhi is asking people to experience the mental and physical health benefits of parkrun for themselves!

January 12^th, 2023: With Blue Monday, known as the most depressing day of the year, occurring next week, Vhi is encouraging the Irish public to start the year off on the right foot, by giving parkrun a try in order to experience both the mental and physical benefits participation can bring. Vhi as the presenting partner of parkrun Ireland for the past seven years, is calling on people to visit their local parkrun this weekend. Whether you participate in parkrun as a walker, jogger, runner or a volunteer, research shows that it can have a positive impact on your health.

A previous survey by parkrun in association with Vhi outlined the mental and physical health benefits that can be gained from parkrun participation. Key findings included:

• More than 90% of parkrunners reported a sense of personal achievement and improvements in physical health.
• 83% reported improvements to their mental health
• 85% stated that participation in parkrun improved their levels of happiness.*

Vhi 360 Health Centres have also recently signed up to the ‘parkrun practice’ initiative which was set up by parkrun Ireland in collaboration with the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) to encourage GP practices across Ireland to develop close links with their local parkrun, and encourage patients and carers to take part in their local parkrun to help build local communities centred on wellness.  Vhi 360 Health Centres in Carrickmines, Swords, Dundrum, Limerick, Cork and Galway plan to become ‘parkrun practices’ in the coming months.

Involvement in this initiative will enable Vhi clinical professionals to credibly promote the mental and physical health benefits of participation and volunteering at these local 5km parkrun events. Encouraging participation in events such as parkrun which can have such positive effects on mental and physical health can sometimes help reduce the need for lifelong medication.**

parkrun in partnership with Vhi, takes place every Saturday morning at 9.30am in more than 100 locations across the country and is free to take part in. In Ireland, more than 10,000 people take part in these events every weekend, as walkers, joggers, runners and volunteers. These events are open to everyone and last year parkwalk was launched as part of the weekly events. Participants only need to register once on the parkrun website, bring their personal barcode which records their activity, and then turn up at their local event.

Dr Suzi Clarke, Consultant Sports & Exercise Medicine Physician at Vhi 360 Health Centre, Carrickmines said,  “At Vhi we are committed to helping our customers and patients live longer, stronger, healthier lives. The ethos of Vhi 360 Health Centres is to support the promotion of a healthy and active lifestyle to support overall wellbeing. Participation in events like parkrun can help to increase wellness in the local community and we believe that the ‘parkrun practice’ initiative will help people across the country discover parkrun and the health benefits that it can bring.”

Matt Shields, parkrun Ireland Country Manager said: “We all know how hard it is to follow through with New Year’s resolutions, but the beauty of parkrun is the support you get as part of a community. Whether you start off walking, jogging, running or as one of our incredible volunteers, we’re certain that you will reap the mental and physical health benefits that parkrun has already provided to thousands of people across the country.”

Vhi ambassador David Gillick said, “parkrun is an excellent way to get back to physical activity after Christmas, and with  Blue Monday just around the corner we could all do with the mental and physical lift that parkrun can bring! Once you have experienced the warm welcome, you’ll receive at your first event you’re sure to want to come back for more, meaning those good intentions made in the New Year have a great chance of lasting beyond January.”

To register for a parkrun near you visit www.parkrun.ie.

ENDS

Notes to the editor:

*Research was undertaken in 2019 by Sheffield Hallam University’s Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre (AWRC). The research was commissioned to assess the health and wellbeing benefits of participating in the free, weekly, timed 5k events

** Source – RCGP parkrun practice website

parkrun Ireland supports local communities in organising free, weekly, timed 5k events every Saturday morning and 2k events for juniors every Sunday morning, at more than 130 venues all over Ireland, with around 10,000 people of every age and ability taking part each week. The events are supported by more than 1,500 volunteers every weekend from Bere Island to Ballina to Ballinteer. Over 364,000 people have registered with parkrun Ireland since it started here in November 2012. Originally launched in the UK in 2004, parkrun events now take place in more than 20 countries, with more than eight million registrants .

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