Wherwell Royals Football Club are preparing to push themselves to the limit next month as four members of the club take on an extraordinary physical and mental endurance challenge to raise money for The Countess of Brecknock Hospice.
From Friday 13 February at 6pm, the group will walk and run four miles every four hours for 48 hours, all while carrying a 20kg log between them. By the end of the challenge, the team will have covered the equivalent of two full marathons in just two days.
The fundraiser has been organised by David May, Wherwell Royals’ first team vice-captain and a local primary school teacher at Whitchurch CofE. The challenge marks ten years since David lost his mother to cancer and has been created as a personal tribute, while raising money for the hospice that cared for her during the final stages of her life.
David said:
“Ten years ago in February, my mum sadly lost her battle to cancer. I’ve always wanted to do something that would mark her memory and challenge me both mentally and physically – although nothing compared to what my mum had to go through.”
He added:
“The Countess of Brecknock Hospice was there for both my mum and my family at such a difficult time. This is my way of giving something back and saying thank you.”
David is being supported in the challenge by Adam Faye, Chairman of Wherwell Royals, Josh Wilson, the club captain, and close friend Mark Raithby. All four have been training together and admit the challenge is already proving extremely tough.
Adam Faye said:
“When David told us why he wanted to do this, there was never any hesitation. As a club, we’ve always tried to support causes that really matter, and this one means a huge amount to him and his family.”
Josh Wilson is no stranger to extreme endurance events. Last year, he supported Adam through a series of four major challenges in six weeks, including the Manchester Marathon, a 24-hour continuous run and a 50km ultra marathon in the Lake District. Together, those efforts raised £1,100 for the Wherwell Playing Fields Association.
As a club, Wherwell Royals have built a strong reputation for supporting local causes. Over the past 12 months alone, they have raised £1,600 for Wherwell Playing Fields and Wherwell Primary School, including a £500 donation before Christmas. Previous fundraising has also seen almost £400 donated to Icknield School for a specially adapted trike during the Covid period, nearly £3,000 raised to support a player’s partner living with a brain tumour, and now close to £900 raised so far for this latest hospice appeal.
With the club celebrating its 10th anniversary, members felt it was the perfect moment to support another meaningful local cause.
The fundraiser has already reached over £800, despite the challenge still being weeks away, and the team will be sharing training updates and live progress throughout the event on social media.
Wherwell Royals hope the local community will continue to get behind the effort and help them raise vital funds for a charity that provides compassionate care to families when they need it most.