Hockey quintet all poised for a tough endurance challenge
FIVE hockey team mates and friends from Leek Hockey Club are embarking on a mammoth endurance challenge - covering over 215 miles in five days - in support of their club and four fantastic charities that are very close to their hearts.
They are starting their challenge on July 24 at Hornsea on the East Coast of England and are running along the Trans Pennine Trail across the entire width of the country to finish at Southport on the West Coast.
They will be assisted by a support crew led by their team mate Sarah Hooper who will be meeting them at various points with food and water supplies.
The team consists of Hazel Mycock, Emma Greenwood, Gemma Hurst, Holly Chipman and Alice Sellers who all play for Leek Ladies 1st X1. They have been training since the start of the year and have already run 3,000 miles between them.
They will be raising money for four charities:
• The Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital in memory of Hazel’s son Rufus who passed away there in
2015.
SUDEP Action charity in memory of Holly’s friend Emily Sumaria who passed away suddenly in 2012.
• The Arthur Rank Hospice Charity in memory of Alice’s friend Sam who received amazing end of life care and passed away this year.
• Dougie Mac Hospice who are a fantastic local charity that have touched many lives offering care and compassion during the toughest times.
The women will also be trying to get each mile sponsored to raise money for an ambitious project Leek Hockey Club are embarking on, to build a brand new clubhouse that will be used by the whole community.
Leek Hockey Club Chairman Andy Spragg said: “I can’t believe what an amazing effort these Leek Hockey Club members are doing to raise money for these amazing charities and for our much needed new clubhouse project.
“To think that they will be completing 215 miles in five days, just wow! The whole of the club is behind them and will be supporting them along the route. Leek Hockey Club will be celebrating its 100th anniversary next year and what an amazing addition it would be for us to be able to announce that we have raised enough funds to go ahead with our new clubhouse.”
Hazel said “We are all very passionate about our sport and promoting it to the wider community.
“We want to show that so much can be achieved with
hard work and the support of a team. “Raising money for these charities will really give us the extra motivation when things get tough. Five ultra marathons in five days is by far the biggest physical challenge any of us will have attempted but we are a fantastic team and will pull each other through.”
If you would like to find out more about the challenge or would like to sponsor the girls please visit https:// uk.virginmoneygiving.com/ Team/lhccoast2coast
or check out their facebook page https://www.facebook. com/coast2coast2021/