A new supermarket at Chandler's Ford is backing a Winchester road race in aid of child health.

Waitrose, in Oakmount Road, which opened less than six months ago, is putting up £2,000 for the July Race for Hope.

Ray Kipling, a director of the Wessex research charity, Hope, said the supermarket sponsorship would just about cover costs and money raised should all go to charity.

Half the entry fees from athletes in the five-miler will go to Winchester and District Athletic Club, which is organising the event, and the other half, together with all entry fees from a 2k fun run the same day, will go to Hope.

Andy Compton, manager of the branch, said that, by sponsoring a Winchester event, he hoped to entice residents of the city to try shopping at Chandler's Ford.

Last week Mr Compton spent £500 when his store paid for play equipment for a young mums' group using Chandler's Ford library.

Teams, as well as individuals, can enter the Race for Hope, and fancy dress is welcome.

Mr Kipling said they could not have staged the event without a sponsor to cover the costs, which included hiring paramedics, an ambulance and a loudspeaker system, marking out the course and paying for medals, as well as officially registering the race. "It all adds up to putting on a proper race that's measured and timed properly, and so that the fun runners are safe."

The first Race for Hope at Winchester, last year, raised over £1,000.

The money goes to a £1m Hope for Healthy Babies appeal, which supports research, including the hunt for a vaccine against meningitis B.

Hope's research team, with its international reputation, says it is close to finding an effective vaccine, provided funding can be continued.

Joan Ferrer, chairman of Hope for Winchester, is delighted by the Waitrose deal. "We're anticipating an even bigger turnout than last year," she said. "It would be wonderful to see lots of Hampshire Chronicle readers among the competitors."

Olympic athlete, Roger Black, who is a patron of Hope, has written to schools, inviting them to enter the fun run.

Race for Hope 2003, based in River Park, will be on Sunday, July 6th.

For details and entry forms, visit www.hope.org.uk/events.htm and click on Road Race or Fun Run, or phone 023-80333366.