Warwickshire County Cricket Club and Edgbaston Stadium staff have revealed plans to support those in need during the Coronavirus pandemic by entering a team in the 2.6 Challenge to raise funds for Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Charity and the NSPCC's Childline service in Birmingham.
Club staff have committed to covering the club’s founding year, 1882, in kilometres before 31 May through a range of 2.6 challenges, including:
- Safety Manager David Clarke cycling 260 miles
- Head of Conference & Events Sales Maria Jones running 2.6 miles each day
- Executive Membership Account Manager Heidi Smith undertaking 26 minutes of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) every day for 10 days
- Head of Media Tom Rawlings running 26.2 miles each week
Tomorrow staff will undertake a series of fun 2.6-themed activities, including 26 iconic football goal celebrations from men’s First Team Coach Jim Troughton, before the main challenge gets underway on Monday.
Leading the staff team, David Clarke said: “The 2.6 Challenge is going to be a great way to bring our staff even closer together in these strange times and also build the Club’s community programme by raising funds for two great charities, which have been chosen by the staff involved.
“We’re now approaching 30 staff to have signed up and hope that with the support of friends, families and our Bears Members and supporters, we can smash our £2,600 target for Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Charity and NSPCC’s Childline service in Birmingham.”
The 2.6 Challenge is a wider part of Warwickshire CCC’s community engagement programme, which has seen Warwickshire players make phone calls to elderly Members who are self-isolating, recording birthday messages to Junior Bears, and its NHS Heroes campaign which is rewarding a number of NHS staff with a bat signed by the playing squad.
The Club also revealed plans to dedicated a Birmingham Bears fixture in the Vitality Blast to NHS staff, whilst the Club’s home of Edgbaston Stadium has been donated for use as a drive-through COVID-19 testing station for NHS staff and key workers.
Follow the staff on Twitter and Instagram with the hashtag #BearsTwoPointSix.
Donate to the Bears 2.6 Challenge
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, and the NSPCC’s Childline service in the city will benefit from funds raised by more than 40 Bears employees undertaking challenges from running to baking and intensive workouts to household chores.
