Football team “old boys” run 33 mile relay to raise money for hungry youngsters

A group of 20 long-time friends and former team mates of Athersley Recreation FC took on an incredible 33-mile marathon relay between them, after one former player was moved by a TV appeal.

When ex-player Thomas Rushforth saw on the news that politicians had voted not to provide free school meals to youngsters during the half-term holiday, he was moved to help.

Thomas sent a message to his long time friends, asking if they would like to get involved in a village relay to raise cash for the children affected.

Thomas said: “I’d just watched a TV news interview with a bloke who delivered a passionate plea to the government for them to reverse their decision to provide kids with free meals over the October half term.

“It resonated with me, and I wondered how I could help. Usually, I set out to help and life gets in the way.

“This time, it took me just five minutes to send a WhatsApp message to 20 lads, some I’ve known for 30 years, to ask if they wanted to get involved in a village to village relay to try and help me raise my target of £1,000.

“We are not a corporate giant with a huge marketing function, we are just 20 lads who all care about kids having a hot meal.

“This isn’t political, this is simply us trying to help and support kids in our beautiful town – within minutes, all 20 had come back to confirm they’d do it. I couldn’t believe it, but I should have had more faith as we’ve had each other’s back for years now”.

To raise awareness and cash for the cause, Thomas enlisted the help of ex teammate and former Athersley Recreation manager, Sean Margison, who now works with Barnsley FC’s community trust, Reds in the Community.

Between them, Sean and Thomas plotted a 26-mile relay route from Monk Bretton to Barnsley FC’s ground at Oakwell on November 28, through the villages where the participants lived.

Thomas kicked off the relay with Sean and Kevin Lockeon bike, from Monk Breton to Athersley’s Recreation FCs ground.

A number of ex players and supporters took up the relay to take the baton to Oakwell, covering 33 miles in 3 hours 45 minutes.

The team smashed their £1,000 target, and to date have raised a staggering £5,200.

Thomas added : “I personally would like to thank each and every one of the marathon team, for supporting me to carry this off, in particular the support and assistance I received from Sean Margison throughout, without any of you getting involved, I would still have been sat in my chair at home.”

“The old boys and myself save our biggest thanks of all to all the people who have, and are still kindly donating to our JustGiving Page.

“We cannot thank each and everyone of you enough, without people donating to our cause, in any many ways doing the marathon would have been a complete waste of time, although it did give many of us the opportunity to re-connect with our “football family”, some who we haven’t seen for a long time, particularly in light of the Covid 19 situation.

“We are all absolutely blown away and flabbergasted, our original aim was to raise £1,000 for the less fortunate children in our communities.”

You can donate here:https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/thomas-rushforth

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