Burton Latimer cricket squad slog it out for hospice

A group of Burton Latimer cricketers are clocking up the miles to raise vital cash for Cransley Hospice.

Hopes of competitive action look slim this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic but Burton Latimer Town Cricket Club players are still determined to complete the 5,060km their XI would travel over the course of a season - although in a slightly different way.

Throughout May 15 players have been cycling, running and walking every step possible to try and drum up some funds for the Kettering-based hospice, which needs £1m a year to continue its specialist care.

They are more than halfway there having completed almost 3,000km - and have raised more than £2,000 in the process.

Batsman Ali McClure, 26, has already covered 620km in 19 days on his bike including a recent mammoth 70km ride.

He said: "There's so much focus on the NHS at the minute which isn't a charity and there's charities like Cransley that are losing out.

"Coronavirus will come and go but Cransley Hospice will still be here in two or three years. If it's not, then we will all lose out."

There's been a bit of competition with Ali taking to yoga to keep himself in peak condition and try and outscore his team-mates.

They hope to reach their 5,060km target by the back end of next week - with talk of all 15 players getting their socially-distanced exercise at the club with a beer in hand.

It's the latest charitable effort by the Kettering Road team having already donated to the Burton Latimer food bank.

Louise Preedy, Cransley Hospice community fundraiser, said: “As a fundraising team we’re so grateful to Ali and his team for taking on this massive challenge and we’ve been following their progress every day.

"These are difficult times for everyone right now and ideas like this are really making a difference to so many people in so many ways.

"The benefits of exercise are well documented, but the benefit of their support to Cransley is huge.

"At Cransley we have had many of our summer fundraising events postponed or cancelled and our retail and coffee shop have had to close.

"We need to raise more than £1m a year to provide the specialist palliative end of life care and support for patients and their families in north Northamptonshire which is why their support is more important than ever right now.”

To donate to the cricket club's cause, visit the fundraising page here.