Mental health charity Isle Listen and community rugby organisation SportErin have announced the launch of a fundraising three-legged race event.

Supported by Tandem Corporate Services, the event aims to raise awareness around mental health while promoting physical activity and community engagement.

It is set to take place on Sunday, September 7 at Ballakilley Park in Port Erin, and is welcome to participants of all abilities aged five or over.

Juan Christian, events manager at Isle Listen, said the event represents an opportunity to bring together different sectors of the community around shared values.

‘A rugby charity and a mental health charity might not seem like an obvious pair, but both are built on the same foundations of resilience, support and connection,’ he said.

‘Together, we are working towards a stronger, more open community.’

SportErin, established as a registered charity in 2007 and, operating as an extension of Southern Nomads Rugby Club, is widely known in the south of the island for its inclusive approach to community sport.

The charity runs a busy facility at Ballakilley Park, where more than 180 young rugby players train regularly.

The site is also used by local running, walking, cycling, and general fitness groups.

A spokesperson for SportErin said the partnership reflects the group’s broader mission beyond sport: ‘SportErin isn’t just about rugby, it’s about building a healthier, more connected community.

‘Partnering with Isle Listen allows us to support the mental as well as the physical wellbeing of our young people - and to do it in a way that’s inclusive and fun.’

This community event also marks the beginning of a new fundraising chapter for SportErin - the charity is currently raising funds for a long-anticipated clubhouse at Ballakilley Park.

Planning permission for the facility was submitted in April 2025, and organisers hope the new structure will provide an improved base for both youth rugby and other community health and fitness activities.

Speaking of their support of the event, Andrew Dawson, director at Tandem Corporate Services, said: ‘At Tandem, we’re proud to support this uplifting event in aid of Isle Listen and Southern Nomads SportErin — two charities making a real difference to young people’s lives.

‘With a shared focus on mental health and community wellbeing, their work highlights the powerful link between sport, support, and emotional resilience.’

Participants in the three-legged race are being encouraged to get creative with costumes, and organisers are hoping for a large turnout of supporters on the day.

There are even hopes that the event might challenge the current unofficial world record for the most people participating in a three-legged race.

Proceeds from the event will support two key charitable efforts - Isle Listen’s mental health education programme, which reaches more than 10,000 young people annually, as well as SportErin’s ongoing development of inclusive community sports programmes and the planned new clubhouse.

Registration for the race is now open via the Isle Listen website at https://www.islelisten.im/three-legged-race/.

Participants must enter in teams of two. Children aged 5 to 7 must be partnered with an adult aged 18 or over.