With members of the Oxfordshire Cricket workforce being on flexi furlough, the workforce, staff, directors, players and volunteers of Oxfordshire Cricket will be voluntarily giving up some of their time to do a virtual challenge to walk, run or cycle the same distance as from John O’Groats to Lands End during February to raise money for Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust and the Opening Up Cricket Charity. This will be in compliance with national lockdown restrictions.

The facts of the challenge are: -

● John O’Groats to Lands End is 874 Miles

● February is 28 days

● We would be raising money for two charities

What will we be doing?

In compliance with national lockdown restrictions and whilst on furlough, the Oxfordshire Cricket workforce will voluntarily be giving up some of their time to collectively virtually walk, run or cycle from John O’Groats to Lands End during February to raise money for Opening Up and Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust.

The workforce effort will be supported by directors, players and volunteers in our attempt to get to 874 miles of walking, running or cycling in the month of February which is equivalent to the distance of John O’Groats to Lands End. This will all be for the purpose of raising money for the charities Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust and Opening Up.

● Challenge delivered over 6 days of each week, with Sundays being a break day

● Participants covering their miles over 3 or 4 days per week

● On each day participants will cover their miles taking between one and three hours, dependant on the distance

● Each participant will set a personal target for the challenge which will be broken down over the four weeks

● Personal targets set

● The challenge mileage will be tracked by a group Strava account.

Why Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust?

Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust is a community-focused organisation that provides physical and mental health services and social care with the aim of improving the health and wellbeing of all our patients and their families.

The Oxford Health Charity enhances the experience of patients, carers, families and staff involved with the services of Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust. The charity funds activities, equipment, projects and patient-focussed support that is above and beyond the usual expenditure of the NHS budget. No funds donated will be spent on essential NHS services but will instead be used to enhance the experience of those using the services or working with the Trust.

The whole Oxfordshire Cricket community have been touched by the service we have received form the NHS during the pandemic, the Oxfordshire Board recognise the fantastic support our own Chairman received he was given a liver transplant just over a year ago. There are many other examples of how they have supported the local community just as we are trying to do with this fundraiser

For more information please visit

https://www.oxfordhealth.nhs.uk/about-us/

Why Opening Up?

Opening Up is currently defined as a ‘Community Interest Company’ but is in the process of getting Charitable Status. They dedicate their time to tackling the issue of mental health, and are doing so through the platform of cricket. Specifically aiming at improving and working with sports clubs and institutes to discuss the issue of mental health, find the most effective ways to tackle it and how we can all help each other to improve this growing issue. The charity was formed following the suicide of a player at Sefton Park CC and at the time was aimed at the local area, but has now delivered over 250 sessions to cricket clubs and sports institutes across the UK and Australia.

The issue around mental health is particularly prominent at this moment due to the stresses and strains of the pandemic; with the national lockdown among other increasing pressures in peoples’ lives.

Members of the workforce, knowing people who are going through battles with mental health, with the help of Opening Up or charities with a similar aim, it is important we support them to help spread the word, and their slogan that ‘its not weak to speak’, them having a direct link to cricket and the prominence of the issue they are tackling make them a perfect charity for us to support in our mission through February with currently a prediction of 50% of people suffering a mental health issue throughout their lives, and 15% in a given year according to studies.

For more information please visit

https://openingupcricket.com/

How Can You Track Our Virtual John O’Groats to Land’s End?

You can track our virtual John O’Groats to Land’s End journey by keeping an eye on our social media channels, where we will provide a daily update on how many miles have been completed, how long is left, and who has helped us get to 874 miles.