A TEAM of young farmers are running a relay of 160 miles to raise money for two causes close to their hearts.
The group of 20, from the Worcestershire Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs, will be completing a marathon each in a relay to get from their county office in Hawford, Worcester to Torquay.
They will each run their 26 miles between Wednesday (April 22) and Friday (April 24) in support of Cancer Research UK and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Worcestershire Royal Hospital.
Matt Tomkins, chairman of the Worcestershire YFC, will be leading his team in the challenge and said choosing the two causes was easy for them.
He said both charities had helped members of the team and their supporters, including Sue and Mark Symonds who were supported by the neonatal unit when their son, Thomas, was born at 29 weeks.
Jane Righton also aids the club and thanked the unit for helping her twins, Evie and Olivia, who were also premature and weighed only 2lbs and 3lbs. She said she appreciated all their hard work to get the girls strong enough to go home and their continued support after.
Mr Tomkins said: “We want to give something back to causes that mean a lot to us, that have helped support our friends and families in their hour of need.
“It did not take us very long to decide which causes we wanted to support this year. I lost a close friend a few years ago to cancer.
“It was a very sad time for his family friends, as well as his local club, Upton YFC.
“He was a much loved character and was thought of highly by his peers.
“I have been waiting for an opportunity to do something big for the charity, and now seems like the perfect opportunity.”
To donate to the causes visit www.virginmoneygiving.com/runninondownthea38 and follow the group’s progress on Twitter @WFYFC_Challenge or at www.worcsyfc.org.uk.
