Northampton Town FC may be nicknamed the cobblers, but it’s the supporters of Rotherham United who needed good shoes, as they complete dan epic 100-mile journey on foot to raise £10,000 for local good causes.
The challenge, organised by Rotherham United Community Trust, formed part of the club’s centenary celebrations and saw a team of 25 people walk between the New York Stadium and the Sixfields Stadium, with the aim of arriving at the home of Northampton Town to see the two teams kick off in their League One clash on Saturday 11th October.
Proceeds from the event will be used to support Rotherham United Community Trust’s outreach programmes in the borough, which are designed to help children and adults alike to improve their physical and mental health.
The gruelling four-day challenge saw participants rack up 250,000 steps each, across four days, with planned stops in Mansfield, Loughborough, and Market Harborough. Each leg saw participants walk between 19 miles and 29 miles.
Former star of both Rotherham United and Northampton Town, Ryan Cresswell, joined the team for the final leg. No stranger to either club, Cresswell racked up an impressive 94 appearances for the two clubs during his playing career and is sure to receive a warm welcome from both sets of fans.
The Trust’s efforts were made possible through the generous support of local businesses who came together to support the efforts by providing support vehicles, water and food supplies, as well as contributing to the appeal by sponsoring individual legs of the arduous journey. Headline sponsors were Ford and Slater DAF, whilst All About Football and the SMH Group sponsored individual legs of the journey. Rotherham-based businesses Broadsword, Press Box, Medequip, and Ross Care supported the efforts by sponsoring the team shirts supplied by sustainable clothing brand, Reflo.
To keep participants in top physical condition during the journey, the Trust secured support from Swift Pharmacy and Parker and Jones Physiotherapy, whilst supermarket chains Morrisons and Tesco generously provided food and water supplies for participants courtesy of their community champions from the stores in Maltby, Dinnington and Bramley.
Their Just Giving page continues to accept donations: http://www.justgiving.com/campaign/ruct-100miles100years. For more information about the trust visit http://www.ruct.co.uk.