Team Kerr Takes on AJ Bell Great South Run

This year’s AJ Bell Great South Run weekend is set to be the biggest for a decade. Here, inspiring runners with a personal cause talk about their reasons for running as part of our Great South Run ‘Power of Running’ series.

Team Kerr is made up of Mum Sandra, Dad David, and son Aaron from County Down, Northern Ireland. They’re taking part in the AJ Bell Great South Run together on Sunday 20 October.

Aaron was born with cerebral palsy, a rare chromosome disorder, and chronic renal failure which resulted in a kidney transplant in 2010 with dad David donating his kidney. Aaron also developed uncontrolled epilepsy, is non-verbal, and is a full-time wheelchair user.

Team Kerr started running together as a family back in 2014. Sandra had been running for a short while and David saw the benefits, so they sourced a running wheelchair for Aaron – and Team Kerr began their journey.

“Our first event together was the Great South Run,” Sandra said. “We all absolutely loved it, and after years of feeling isolated and lonely due to being carers and the demands of living with disability, we felt part of something for the first time in a very long time. We had well and truly caught the running bug.”

Since that first race almost 10 years ago, Team Kerr has gone on to run thousands of miles at hundreds of events, including 53 marathons.

Sandra adds “We don’t run for times, our message is simple, we believe in inclusion & equality for people with complex needs like our son Aaron.”

“Through our running, Aaron has travelled and explored places that would have previously been inaccessible to him, made friendships throughout the community, built on his confidence & social skills, strengthened his immune system by embracing the fresh air, opened his world up to him, and inspired people along the way.”

Over the years Aaron has been the recipient of many awards, including a Points of Light Award from the Prime Minister and the Spirit of London Marathon Award. The proudest moment came recently when Aaron received a BEM in the Kings Birthday Honours List for Services to Disability Awareness and Assisted Running in the United Kingdom.

The family attended a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace and were also invited to 10 Downing Street in recognition of their work around inclusion. Locally, Aaron also received the Overcoming Adversity award at the Spirit of Northern Ireland awards in 2024.

Sandra reflects on the many messages they’ve received from people across the world, saying they’ve inspired and given them hope for their children with complex needs. “We know how hard that journey is, so to hear these words fills us with immense pride and lets us know that our message is being heard.”

Aaron’s story was recently published in a children’s book, ‘Aaron’s Great Big Green Running Machine’. Written and illustrated by the family, they are delighted that the book is in schools across the UK & Ireland, educating children from a young age about people with complex needs.

“Every goal that we initially set ourselves we have accomplished, but we are still running, still sharing our message of inclusion, and we will continue to for as long as we can.” said Sandra.

“We are fortunate enough to have met many inspiring people during our running and these are a constant source of inspiration to us, but our biggest inspiration is, and always will be, our son Aaron.”

The AJ Bell Great South Run, and AJ Bell Junior & Mini Great South run are sold out. There’s still time to sign up for the AJ Bell Great South 5k, but enter quickly here, as places are selling fast.