University of Bedfordshire Football Team run to Croatia and back for the NHS

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The team is hoping to raise £3,250

The University of Bedfordshire’s Football Team is running the equivalent 2,302 miles to Croatia and back to raise money for the NHS.

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The team’s tour to Pula in Croatia was cancelled due to the COVID-19 outbreak, but they decided to go there a different way - the football team is running the distance from Bedfordshire to Croatia to raise money for NHS Charities Together.

Past and present players, 38 members in total, are clocking up the collective miles, the runners include the current committee members, President Lewis Burgess, Vice President Cory McDade, team captains Kyle Jay, Dom Palmieri and Matt Wheatley, Social Secretary Harry Poole and Treasurer Tom Davies.

The team is hoping to raise 3,250The team is hoping to raise 3,250
The team is hoping to raise 3,250 | other

Cory McDade, Vice President and current Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy MA student, said: “A few of the players have family working in the NHS and know first-hand the excellent work they are doing.

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“As a committee we thought it would be a great idea try and raise some money, even if it was just £250 (our initial target). But in the first four days, we travelled 534 miles and raised £2,600 for the NHS.

“Each day we continue to be astounded by people’s generosity to donate despite what we’re all going through at the moment.”

Team members are adding to the total running distance from their homes in all corners of the UK, and a core group in Bedford are running around Priory Park, the embankment and Bedford park.

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Andrew Mitchell, Head of School for Sport Science and Physical Activity, said: “The University of Bedfordshire Men’s Football team is setting a great example with this fundraising event.

“They have turned the disappointment of not being able to go on tour, in these unprecedented times, into a positive project in support of the NHS.

“They are a great group of students and I am very proud of their efforts.”

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Each day, the team monitor every run and take the completed distance off the overall goal, the team are aiming to complete the 2,302 miles by mid-May.

On the Just Giving Page for Bedfordshire Bulls Mens Football, it says: "We understand that these are difficult times that everyone is living through, but NHS workers are putting their lives at risk for our country in order to help battle the coronavirus.

"The least we can do is attempt to support and show our gratitude towards them for the remarkable job they are doing. We are all in this together so we are asking you to donate to this great cause."

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