Back in February, the Cambridge United Elite Scholars took on the challenge of virtually completing the 874-mile journey from Lands’ End to John O'Groats by running or walking as a team over a four week period. The Scholars encouraged family and friends to sponsor them, raising money for both CPSL Mind and the Cambridge United Community Trust.
Over 20 staff and students took part, and their initial target was £874, which they exceeded in the first week. By the end of the 4 weeks, they had collectively run/walked an amazing 922.8 miles and raised a staggering £2,286 for the two local charities.
Marc Abbott, (Manager, CUFC Elite Scholarship) said, “We are delighted to have raised so much money. We chose this challenge as we wanted to encourage our students to keep up with their fitness during lockdown and to work collectively as a team to record the most miles and raise as much money as possible. I’m so proud of how hard they have worked and how much they have achieved.”
Zoe Doherty, Fundraising Consultant for CPSL Mind said, “We all know that being active and getting out in the fresh air is really great for our mental health and it was so inspiring to see so many young people getting out every day and encouraging people to donate. During lockdown, many people have felt isolated and have struggled with their mental health. The money raised will go towards supporting local people through a range of services, including out of hours mental health crisis support, community wellbeing activities and peer support groups. A huge thank you to all the staff and students who worked so hard to smash their fundraising target.”
Sam Gomarsall, Cambridge United Community Trust Manager said, “This is a really amazing physical achievement for the group with lots of incredible individual efforts included within this. However, it’s also a brilliant example of a group of young people deciding to make a real difference to the mental health of their local community. The money raised will support our weekly Mental Health Football Session which aims to improve both physical and mental fitness by providing an opportunity for those who participate to take part in some physical activity whilst building relationships, being part of a team and boosting self-confidence. We’re very thankful to the group, and all those who donated, and we look forward to welcoming the group to the session when Covid-19 restrictions ease up!”