Fleetwood Junior Reds' towering achievement at fundraising

Fleetwood Junior Reds Under-8s have thrown themselves into their fundraising challenge

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The boys aim to walk, cycle or run that distance between them – equivalent to the journey from Blackpool Tower to the Eiffel Tower in Paris – and split the money raised between the club (for kit, equipment etc...) and Blackpool Victoria Hospital (via the Blue Skies Hospitals Fund).

The team’s parent representative and welfare officer Louise Holden, also mum of player Alfie, explained: “The boys appreciate all the hard work our amazing NHS staff are doing. The boys and parents are a very close-knit group containing NHS frontline staff and other essential workers.

“One of the coaches, Martin Hayes, has organised the challenge. We’ve already done a hamper for the Vic and collected goodies. Martin said that the boys were exercising anyway, so why not use that exercise to raise money.”

Louise, who has set up the online appeal via the gofundme website, told The Gazette that the boys completed 300 miles in their first five days. They had almost reached 500 miles after a week.

Having smashed their cash targets of £500 and then £1,000, the team have now revised their goal to £1,500.

Donations are welcome at https://www.gofundme.com/f/de44f-fleetwood-town-juniors-reds-1000-mile-challenge.

Louise added: “We can’t wait to have the boys back together and playing when the time is safe to do so.”