Girl power! Teams at St Ives Rangers raising money for charity and fitness with virtual race
The girls of St Ives Rangers are raising money for charity with a virtual race. - Credit: ST IVES RANGERS
A group of Huntingdonshire football players have embarked on a lockdown race across Europe – without leaving the area.
The competition between the girls’ teams at St Ives Rangers girls’ teams was set up by their coaches to keep the players fit while matches were cancelled and to raise money for charity in the process.
It involves team members in the U12 to U16s teams and their families running, walking, cycling, or taking part in other fitness activities.
Their total distances each day help them progress along a virtual race route marked out by some of Europe’s main football stadiums.
The race is being run over 10 stages and is expected to last throughout March.
Clare Lorman-Hall, welfare officer at the club and co-coach of the U16 team, said: “We set this challenge up as a fun way to get our players moving during lockdown.
“With the girls doing online classes for most of the day and football off the agenda for now, we could see that they were not getting enough exercise.
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“This was not good for their mental health or fitness ahead of when games begin again.
“The coaches discussed what we could do and launched the St Ives Rangers FC Girls Race Around Europe challenge a few days later.
“We have been blown away by the response, with more than 1,500 kilometres covered together in the two-day first leg alone. It is absolutely awesome.”
Jan Davis, chair of Hunts Community Cancer Network CIO, the charity the girls are running for, added: “We think this initiative is a fantastic idea to keep players and their families active whilst they are unable to play on the pitch and are thrilled to have been chosen as the recipient charity for the funds.
“All funds raised will stay in the Huntingdonshire area to help people and their families manage a diagnosis of cancer.
“We can’t wait to follow the progress of the team.”
To support the girls and donate to the Hunts Community Cancer Network, go to www.justgiving.com/fundraising/st-ives-rangers-fc-girls-u12-to-u16s
