Hemel rugby players are running 2,500km during lockdown to support Berkhamsted hospice

Run, Camelot, Run – Hemel Hempstead Camelot Rugby Club players are running to help The Hospice of St Francis
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Hemel Hempstead Camelot Rugby Club has pledged to run 1km during lockdown for every minute of rugby missed during the coronavirus pandemic.

The money raised will be split between the Hospice of St Francis in Berkhamsted and the essential work needed at the club.

Like hundreds of other local, amateur rugby clubs up and down the country, Hemel Hempstead Camelot Rugby Club is having a difficult time right now.

Hemel Hempstead Camelot Rugby Club players are running to support the club, and help The Hospice of St FrancisHemel Hempstead Camelot Rugby Club players are running to support the club, and help The Hospice of St Francis
Hemel Hempstead Camelot Rugby Club players are running to support the club, and help The Hospice of St Francis

As a Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC), the rugby club relies on match days, club lunches, events and beer sales to keep the doors open.

None of this is possible right now and it might be a while longer before the clubhouse is packed out again at home games or during the Six Nations.

By the club's calculations, the senior players alone have missed approximately 2,500 minutes of rugby since March 2020.

From now, until the end of lockdown - and beyond if needed -, the entire club is teaming up to run at least 1km for every minute of rugby that has been missed due to the pandemic.

That is just one month for a bunch of lads who hate running without a rugby ball to collectively run 2,500km.

That is an astonishing 500km a week for five weeks.

Every player, parent, volunteer and mini will need to pull their weight in order to achieve this rather ambitious target and every player taking part in the challenge will be donating too.

All of this will be in aid of raising much needed funds for the club to renovate the kitchen and 25% of the money raised will also be donated to Hospice of St Francis in Berkhamsted.

The Hospice of St Francis does incredible work within Hemel Hempstead and the surrounding area, and their funding has been severely hit by the pandemic at a time when some people need them more than ever, so as the club wanted to give something back to such a wonderful organisation.

Aled Gamble, Run Camelot Run organiser and senior player at the club, said: “We came up with the idea of running 1km for every minute of rugby we’ve missed as a way to raise some desperately needed funds for the club and to bring the whole Camelot community together – from the minis right through to non-playing members.

"The Hospice of St Francis is a wonderful charity too that a number of people at the club have connections too, so it is a real honour to raise money for them.

"We’ve been live for one weekend and the response has been unbelievable raising over £4,000 with over 50 people already contributing to the running total.

"It has been such a tough year but the togetherness and Camelot community spirit has given us all a reason to smile. Thank you to everyone who has donated so far.”

There is no limit to the number of runners taking part, but the more that join in the more realistic the target becomes in a show of true Camelot spirit.

If you are interested in joining the cause, call or WhatsApp Aled Gamble on 07714776114.

You can follow the progress of the challenge on Facebook, for more about theHospice of St Francis click here. To make a donation click here.

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