Bobsled team to take on the Market Drayton 10K
They raise thousands of pounds every year by running for miles in their bobsled.
Now a Cool Runnings-style team are set to pound the streets of Market Drayton to take part in the town’s annual 10k race on Sunday.
Andy Newman, Ian Newman, Neil Hendy and Chris Hughes form The Wolverhampton Bobsled Team, inspired by the hit film 1993 film Cool Runnings.
And on Sunday they will be joined for the first time by their latest team member, Jane Sutton.
Jane’s son Stephen Sutton passed away nearly three years ago at the age of 19 having been diagnosed with incurable bowel cancer four years earlier. To date Stephen’s fundraising total has reached in excess of £5.6 million and continues to rise as people continue to raise money in his memory.
Since Stephen passed away Jane has completed the 2015 Virgin Money London Marathon raising over £22,500 for Teenage Cancer Trust, thrown herself out of a plane along with 401 followers of ‘Stephen’s Story’ to set a Guinness World Record for the most tandem skydives in 24 hours, and last October climbed Mount Kilimanjaro raising a further £16,000 for the trust.
Jane said: “A lot of people have been asking me what’s going to be my next challenge. Having completed my first marathon in April 2015, thrown myself out of a plane three months later in the summer of 2015 and climbed Kilimanjaro last autumn, I’ve decided to have a quieter year this year! And what better way to enjoy a quieter year than joining the Bobsled Team? We’ll be lifting the sled, using specially adapted harnesses, onto our shoulders and completing each of the events by walking and a little bit of jogging – if my little legs can keep up with the taller members of the team.
“We’ll be taking part in at least seven events during 2017 with the first event this weekend in Market Drayton.”
Jane joined the Wolverhampton Bobsled Team after the team stopped at mile nine in the 2016 Virgin Money London Marathon.
Jane said: “I had my photo taken with the team by the side of the course and they said they would like to support Stephen’s Story and Teenage Cancer Trust this year and would I be interested in joining them on a couple of events.”
The Bobsled Team has now confirmed it is going to raise money for Stephen’s Story, supporting Teenage Cancer Trust for the next two years until the end of 2018.
Over the last five years, the bobsled team has raised over £25,000 for various charities and together with Jane they’ve set a target to raise £10,000 over the next two years – the figure Stephen originally set as number one on his bucket list to raise for the trust.
The team has created a Virgin Money Giving online fundraising page which will remain open for the next two years as they participate in events across the UK hoping to reach the target of £10,000.
Jane added: “I’d like to thank the Wolverhampton Bobsled team for choosing to support Stephen’s Story and Teenage Cancer Trust. I’m sure we’re going to enjoy a lot of fun participating in these events.”
There will be 2,500 runners, including several international runners, taking part in this Sunday’s race, which will start at 11am.
