 This year's first Race for Life is in London on 5 May |
Nearly half of all women who took part in a series of charity fun runs across the UK failed to send sponsorship money, it has emerged. Organisers of Cancer Research UK's Race for Life have revealed that 46% of women who took part in 2003 did not send in their sponsorship money.
The biggest race of 2003 was in Cardiff with 10,080 runners, but only just over half returned their cash.
But organisers say they believe they "probably just forgot".
Despite this, the charity still managed to raise �17.5m last year.
Organisers are now urging people who take part in the races to ensure that they collect and send in any money they raise.
Nic Clarke, the organiser of the events in Wales, blamed absent-mindedness for the missing money.
"We are very grateful to everybody who sent in their sponsorship money last year and in years previous," he said.
"And I do believe that those who did not return their money probably just forgot.
"I don't think anyone doesn't deliberately not send their money in, and I think that everyone who collects the money does return it to us.
"I think it is a problem across any event which relies on people to send their sponsorship money in afterwards," he said.
Mr Clarke said that there were "hotspots" around the country where people were better at sending in their money than others.
 It is hoped that the 2004 races will raise �20m |
Aberystwyth was considered one of the top places with 70% of people who took part in the three-kilometre run submitting their cash.
But although Cardiff had the biggest race of last year's UK-wide programme, with more that 10,000 runners, just 54% or 5,443 of those who took part returned their money to the charity - despite reminders being sent out.
"We would urge everyone who takes part to make sure they send in any sponsorship money they collect and their sponsorship forms," said Mr Clarke.
"We are so grateful to everyone who takes part in the event and we are aiming to try and raise �20m this year".
"Of this, it is hoped that �1m will be raised in Wales."
The 2004 Race For Life programme begins on 5 May at Battersea, London.
An estimated 325,000 women will take part in the events across the UK.
In Wales, the first of a programme of seven races begin in Aberystwyth and Rhyl on 9 May.
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It is a problem across any event which relies on people to send their sponsorship money in afterwards 
