Three causes to get Lift Off with Bishop's Stortford gym's sports day
A charity day at a Bishop's Stortford gym will take the best bits of an old-school sports day, including the classic egg and spoon race, and encourage families to get out and have fun.
The team at Lift Off CrossFit are staging the money-spinner on Saturday, June 8 to raise money for Stortford's own Addie Brady Foundation, mental health charity Mind and the Royal Brompton Hospital in south-west London.
Anne-Lise Fitzgerald, one of the coaches at the Twyford Business Centre gym, off London Road, is organising the event. All three causes are important to Lift Off staff and members.
The Addie Brady Foundation was set up in memory of the 16-year-old Herts and Essex High School girl who died in February 2018 from a brain tumour. The charity works closely with the Brain Tumour Charity and aims to find a cure for, and better treatment of, childhood brain cancer.
“Both Michelle and Tara [Brady, Addie’s mum and dad] come to our gym and Skylar [Brady, Addie’s elder sister] used to come before she went to uni,” said Anne-Lise.
Addie, who was a vibrant, courageous and relentlessly cheerful girl, was adored in the Stortford community. Since her death, her family, friends and teachers have fundraised in her honour.
The Royal Brompton is cherished as several Lift Off members have children who were nursed back to health at what is the largest specialist heart and lung medical centre in the UK.
The third cause, Mind, is chosen by Lift Off’s head coach, Tom McPartlan, who aims to create a positive atmosphere in the gym to boost clients’ wellbeing.
“He is open about mental health, especially for young men being able to open up and being okay about their feelings,” said Anne-Lise.
The Lift Off team arranged a similar sports day event last year and raised over £1,000. This time, they hope to raise even more money and awareness.
Teams for the sports day games will be pairs. “It could be two adults, two kids or a parent and child,” said Anne-Lise. “It’s really for fun, but the winning pair will get a little T-shirt.”
Each entrant will pay £2 fee to take part. Additional funds will be raised through a raffle, a barbecue, a cake stall and at a face-paint stand.
The event at the Twyford Business Centre gym will kick off at 10am. To find out more, call the gym on 01279 755333.