WORCESTERSHIRE skipper Joe Leach has hailed “a fantastic effort by everyone” after the Rapids Relay netted more than £14,500 (at the time of writing) for Acorns Children’s Hospice.
The county’s players – senior squad, women’s Rapids and academy – coaches, support staff and officials all contributed to the week-long event of 12 one-hour running sessions per day which totalled 1,008 kilometres.
The ‘virtual’ route mirrored the number of kilometres involved travelling to venues in the Rapids’ Vitality Blast North Group via Worcestershire-Warwickshire-Lancashire-Durham-Yorkshire-Nottinghamshire-Derbyshire-Leicestershire-Northamptonshire-Worcestershire.
This was completed in splendid fashion with a day to spare during the final hour-long run last Wednesday and the £12,000 target was surpassed the following day.
Leach, who ran the first leg, said: “This was a great idea initiated by Alex Gidman (head coach) and everyone at the club really bought into it – players from all levels, coaches and support staff to the chairman, who also ran one of the stages.
“Most importantly, it helped contribute towards such a worthy cause in the Acorns Children’s Hospice, which is already a special charity to everyone at the club.
“These are difficult times for organisations which rely on support from people to help keep them going and our members and supporters have played a magnificent part in raising so much.
“Thank you so much to them for their donations and it has been a fantastic effort by everyone. It was great to see children, parents and supporters joining us in their own Rapids Relay!
“It produced even more of a togetherness between the whole Worcestershire CCC family of the squad, coaches, academy lads, women’s players, club officials and staff.
“It also gave a real extra incentive, buzz and competitive edge to those training runs we are currently doing at this challenging time when you would normally be playing cricket.”
Anyone still wishing to donate can visit justgiving.com/fundraising/worcestershirecccrapidsrelay.
Following the massive success of the Rapids Relay, the club is now offering supporters and members the chance to purchase a commemorative T-shirt, with all of the profits going to Acorns Children’s Hospice.
The blue T-shirts are available priced at £15 for adults and £10 for junior sizes on a pre-order basis. This includes postage and packaging. Visit wccc.co.uk/commemorative-rapids-relay-t-shirts-available.
