Family 5k a day challenge

After the cancellation of a charity walk, Jane Bradley-Crookes, husband David Crookes and their eight-year-old twin daughters, took to walking the local trails around Fearnhead to raise funds.

Jane said: “We should have been taking part in the Cheshire Three Peaks challenge organised every June by Francis House, but it was cancelled along with other hospice events because of the Coronavirus pandemic.

“Like many families we had been trying to get out for a walk each day in the lockdown period. We decided to push ourselves and do 5k a day for 14 days and asked our family and friends to sponsor us. We were extremely fortunate with good weather and we all had a great time walking each day.”

Dance teacher Jane, described juggling home schooling, business meetings and zoom dance lessons with a 5k walk every day as ‘occasionally challenging’.

Target smashed

The family set up a JustGiving page with a target of £200 and quickly raised more than £1,000.

Jane said: “We have been absolutely overwhelmed by everyone’s generosity. We ended up raising £1,159 and celebrated by walking 10k on the last day.”

The family pledge to continue their support of the hospice that is facing a shortfall in income of £250,000 as a result of cancelled fundraising events.

David, global development operations director for Daresbury based Ivanti, supports the hospice through regular staff donations of goods to the charity shop.

The girls, pupils at Gorse Cover Primary School, also grew tomato plants from seed which they sold to neighbours to raise further funds.

“We all feel really proud to have done something to help others in this difficult time,” said Jane.