A charity is looking for volunteers "with a big heart" to run in the British 10K in the summer and raise funds for its work with some of the world’s poorest communities.

The Methodist Relief and Development Fund (MRDF) has six places in the UK’s most popular running event on 11 July 2010, and needs people to fill them.

The British 10k takes place in London and attracts thousands of people from celebrities to amateur runners each year. MRDF has entered a team in the race for the last four years, with the volunteers raising nearly £5,000 for the charity’s work.

Mandie Jones, who ran the British 10K for MRDF in 2007, said: "I really enjoyed the race. Thinking about the people we were running for kept me going when my legs wanted to drop off!"

Audrey Skervin, MRDF’s Supporter Relations Officer, said: "Taking part in the 10k run is a fantastic way for people to make a contribution to the fight against poverty – and you don’t have to be Linford Christie to do it.

"People can run the distance at their own pace and see historic landmarks such as the Houses of Parliament and Tower Bridge along the way.

"The money they raise will help individuals and communities change their lives and become more self-sufficient."

This year is the 10th anniversary of the British 10K run and is proving to be bigger than ever with over 26,000 people taking part.

Anyone interested in being a part of the MRDF team can visit www.mrdf.org.uk/sponsor or call 020 7467 5132.