A CHARITY run devised by a local businessman to help Grove House has been shortlisted for a national award.

The Herts 10K, which is held in October to raise funds for the day hospice, made the final few in the 2010 National Charity Times Awards in the Corporate Social Responsibility – Project of the Year category.

The event is up against national UK charity partnerships including Cancer Research UK/Towergate Charitable Foundation, Recycling Lives/BAE Systems and Vital Regeneration/BNP Paribas.

The winner of the award is due to be announced on Wednesday at a gala black tie event at the Hilton in Park Lane.

The award follows last year’s success when the Herts 10K was nominated at the Hertfordshire Business awards and won the 2009 St Albans and District Chamber of Commerce Award for Corporate and Social Responsibility.

The run was first held in 2006 and was founded by a partnership between Levy Associates and Grove House. It has become one of the fastest-growing races in the country and raised over �500,000 for the hospice.

Lawrence Levy, of Levy Associates in Holywell Hill, St Albans, said that when he established the company in 2000, he was determined it would take its corporate and social responsibility seriously and give something back to the community in which his employees lived and worked.

He went on: “It’s lovely to be nominated and then shortlisted for this award but Grove House needs �1.5 million per year just to operate so all we’re doing is what any Hertfordshire business should.”

Paul Parrish, fundraising director for Grove House, added: “Lawrence has committed himself heart and soul to raising money for the hospice and his backing of the Herts 10K has enabled us to grow our services for this community far quicker than we ever expected.”

This year’s Herts 10K race will take place from 10am on Sunday, 10 October, starting from Rothamsted Research in Harpenden.

To find out more about the event and to register for a place visit www.herts10k.com