The end of January saw neighbours of Weymead Close in Chertsey use their lockdown exercise to get some fresh air, stay connected, and raise money for charity. The plan was for households to take it in turns to run, jog, or walk a total of 170 laps of the short cul-de-sac, to cover a marathon distance of 26.2 miles.
Resident Toby Athersuch said:
“A group of us got together via Zoom to think of ways to help break the monotony of lockdown without breaking the rules; we were looking for alternatives to simply doing more online quizzes, and landed on the idea of a relay marathon that everyone could take part in over the course of an entire day. We realised the road would be perfect for this; it’s quiet, no through traffic, and paved. With everyone aware of what was going on, and supportive of the idea, it ran really well.”
By staggering start times throughout the day, households could keep apart, but also enjoy being cheered on by neighbours. The residents set up an online fundraiser to allow friends and relatives to show their support, with money raised to help local charities that have been hit hard by the pandemic.
Resident Karen Surey said:
“We are all friends here and share a real community spirit; always there to support each other. Households jumped at the chance to raise money in a COVID-safe way, and it was great to see neighbours from one to eighty-five years of age getting involved and take it all in their stride. To exceed both our target distance and our fundraising goal has been truly amazing!”
The total amount raised has exceeded £2000, which will be passed onto The Rotary Club of Chertsey for allocation and distribution to local charities and community projects.
The funds raised are going to Chertsey Rotary, which will make sure they go to a good Chertsey community cause.