Over the last few weeks, the Netball Family have taken great steps to help those who need it the most due to the effects of the Coronavirus.
These selfless efforts also extend to those outside of the netball community with plenty of teams and individuals doing their bit for areas of society struggling to cope with the pandemic.
The ever-supportive Netball Family have once again showcased their exceptional commitment to helping others, undertaking a wide range of charitable endeavours to raise money or awareness.
Netball clubs and individuals have displayed this level of selflessness in the past but social media has been inundated with hundreds of different fundraising campaigns for anything from healthcare workers to children’s charities.
One example of those helping healthcare workers is the Bracknell and District Netball League who responded to an urgent call for more protective equipment for frontline healthcare workers.
As part of a number of local businesses and community groups, the league contributed to hundreds of masks, gloves, aprons, and other essential pieces of personal protective equipment being donated in the region.
Sussex Netball have also decided to dedicate their time to helping the fantastic NHS. In fact, they are spending their one hour of permitted exercise to run the route from Land’s End to John o’Groats – a total of 1,400km – between 32 members in ten days.
Four of the team remained in Brighton while others were based around the UK, doing their bit from Teeside, Cardiff, Devon, Surrey, Hertfordshire and more locations.
Sussex Netball members on their 5km runs. Source | Sussex Netball.
By running 5km a day for ten consecutive days, the team smashed their initial target of £500 to raise more than £5,000 for charities providing support to NHS staff, volunteers and patients so far.
Club President Georgia Lambert told the University of Sussex’s official website: “We are over the moon with the response and can’t thank everyone who has donated enough for their support. It is really keeping the girls motivated and our legs a little bit less sore!”
While the challenge is now over, you can congratulate the girls’ efforts by donating here.
Brighton also saw a sponsored shoot-a-thon organised by two members of Pied Piper Netball after they heard Rockinghorse Children’s Charity was struggling for money.
They set a challenge to see how many goals they could score in an hour and, after Sussex NRG Netball Club in Worthing also got involved, a total of 45 girls signed up for the shoot-a-thon.
Most girls achieved a total of more than 300 goals with some reaching 1,000 or more. In total, more than 26,000 goals were scored and more than £3,500 was raised. You can still donate to the cause here.
This was such an amazing thing to do, both to get your friends together and raising money for Rockinghorse. Thank you all so much for your time, effort ad enthusiasm – it really will make such a difference! https://t.co/SgQranLfwm
— Rockinghorse (@Rockinghorse67) April 12, 2020
In another bid to raise money whilst having some fun, Ryland Netball Club of Worcestershire are currently raising money for The Harry Bennett Foundation and Community Integrated Care through their 1,000 pass challenge.
The challenge is to complete 1,000 passes in the fastest time possible. The club are hoping to get people involved through social media with participants posting a video of themselves completing the challenge online.
The entrance fee for the competition is £5 and there are also different age categories to make it easier on younger players. The closing date for entries will be Saturday 9 May and you can find out more here.
Youngsters across the country have been similarly inspired to make a positive impact. Phoenix Junior Netball Club in Harrogate (pictured), for example, donated more than £2,000.
The club’s coaches nominated the Harrogate Homeless Project while the players and parents nominated the Harrogate District Foodbank. Each charity will receive a total of £1,128, a fabulous effort.
There have been so many amazing efforts made by other areas of the netball community. If you have been fundraising for a charity, why not let us know by tagging @EnglandNetball on social media or by emailing in at content@englandnetball.co.uk?
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