STAY HOME, stay fit and support Willen Hospice…
The hospice is inviting people to join its virtual 48 Hour Relay Run, powered by energie Fitness Milton Keynes and a new event to raise essential funds for the charity.
The 48-hour relay run will start on Friday April 17 at 8am, ending at 8am on Sunday April 19. You can run in your garden, up and down stairs, around the living room or during your one-hour daily exercise.
All you have to do is choose a 20-, 40-, or 60-minute time slot during the 48 hours – when your time is completed, you pass the virtual baton on to the next runner.
Willen Hospice events manager Tracey Jago said: “With all of our summer events and fundraising activities postponed, we will sadly be facing a huge loss in income this year. We hope this virtual fundraiser will not only help fill some of that fundraising gap, but also bring our amazing community together.”
The organisers are asking runners to gather sponsorship to support the hospice during this very difficult time. It costs £9 a minute to fund Willen Hospice so during the 48 hours of the relay, that cost of care amounts to £26,000.
All sponsorship from the relay will help them to raise the vital funds to continue to provide their expert, compassionate care.
Rob Francis, owner of energie Fitness Milton Keynes, said: “Since before we opened our energie Fitness gym at Kiln Farm, we have worked hard to make a positive contribution to our local community and Willen Hospice has become very dear to us.
“The idea for this event came from one of our members who had seen a person in Italy run a marathon on his apartment balcony and we felt that we could do something to get the whole of Milton Keynes involved, no matter where they live or their circumstances.
“Knowing that this time is hard for businesses like ours, we understood how much harder it must be for charities like Willen Hospice. I thought this would be a brilliant way to bring the residents of MK together on an online platform, all contributing positively to the Willen Hospice cause.”
Register to take part by visiting www.willen-hospice.org.uk/relayrun
Working from home? Lock yourself in…
A CHARITY that works to improve the lives of young people across Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire is challenging businesspeople to raise money by locking themselves in at home.
TransitionsUK’s BEAT IT campaign is caling on people to make the most of the lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic and raise funds for the charity.
Chief executive Ron Overton said: “In-House jailbreaks are our most popular events, for sure. We are asking businesspeople working from home to have some fun with it. Lock themselves in their office (stripy prisoner outfit optional) and pick up the phone to their business contacts, friends and family to get donation pledges… Simple.”
As well as being a fun way of raising funds, the challenge has taken on particular prominence as most of us are not communicating with others as often as normal, due to the government-imposed restrictions encouraging people to stay home, protect the NHS and save lives.
“It is a great way of contacting people also cooped up and stuck at home and a fun and positive way of staying in touch with customers and suppliers,” said Mr Overton.
To register for an in house jailbreak or for more information, visit www.TransitionsUK.org/beat-it
- Transitions UK is a charity working in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and North London with the sole purpose of improving the lives of young people. The charity runs programmes throughout the year, each with a specific focus.
The Aspire programme, for example, works with vulnerable young people to prevent criminal exploitation. The Attain programme, works with young people leaving the care system and their integration into society.
Given that most of these programmes are delivered by face-to-face mentoring, events and skills training, these, and the other programmes run by Transitions UK are at risk due to the outbreak of Covid-19.
In response to this threat, Transitions UK has launched the BEAT IT campaign, encouraging members of the public to take part in challenges, events and activities from their homes throughout the UK lockdown and beyond.
