Findon's cricket fundraisers are 3,348 not out

They made the most of June even if they were not allowed to play. They challenged themselves to run, walk or cycle to reach a combined effort of 4000 miles with the aim of raising £1,867 (1867 being the year FCC was founded) for Chestnut Tree House, St Barnabas Hospice and the Sussex Cricket Foundation.

By the end of June, they had almost doubled their initial target with 7852 miles covered, a distance that would take you from Findon to Bali or Buenos Aires.

Some 84 club members, ranging in age from 15 to 70-plus, undertook 1,365 activities between them and inspired 133 other participants from other clubs across Sussex – Goring, West Chiltington & Thakeham and West Wittering.

See a picture special on the Findon CC fundraising efforts in this week's Worthing Herald

A total of 49.8 days (1194 hours) of activities was completed, with 48 people averaging more than 20 minutes per day of exercise.

There were some standout achievements on the club’s Super Saturday (June 20), with Ryan Meighan completing his first marathon in 3hrs 44mins; Harry Herbert cycling 90 miles from Box Hill to Dorking; Jon Godden walking between five cricket clubs totalling 17 miles and Denise Wadeson running 33 miles between 8am Saturday and 7am Sunday as she completed a mile (or more) every hour.

Regular exercise benefited many, physically and men-tally. And most importantly, they raised £3,348 for the three local charities.

Josh Lambert, 17, who covered 281 miles in total, said: “I wanted to support Chestnut Tree House, because they give young children with special needs such opportunities and care.

“The charity has undoubtedly been put under a lot of pressure during Covid-19, therefore I wanted to push myself to ride my bike as far as I could throughout the month of June.”

Club secretary Mike Metters, who completed 63 activities in the month, added: “I’ve lived in Worthing all my life, and St Barnabas has helped many family friends with end-of-life care.

“Both my parents worked there as volunteers when they retired, and my sister-in-law is a nurse there. I know coronavirus has meant a huge shortfall in their income, as fundraising events can’t take place and their charity shops have been closed. So I’m really pleased Findon Cricket Club have been able to raise some funds through walking, running and cycling.”

Mary Bye, community fundraiser at St Barnabas House, said: “Thank you Findon Cricket Club members for your brilliant teamwork and fundraising for St Barnabas House, which enables hospice care for our patients and families, now and in the future.”

See www.justgiving.com/team/FindonCC4000 if you’d like to donate.