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It’s in the back of the net for Uckfield fans
The four footy-mad Uckfield lads who aimed to visit all 92 football league clubs in England and Wales in one car have successfully completed their challenge.
Rich Burrough, Chris Jackson, Luke Martin and Dan Preston celebrated the end of the epic 2,500 mile journey with Reggie the Red at Crawley Town’s Broadfield Stadium at 11pm on Saturday, February 9 having driven through day and night since the clock started at Brighton’s Amex stadium early on Wednesday, February 6.
Spurred on by Radio 2’s Chris Evans, BBC Sussex’s Neil Pringle, and the encouragement of an army of Facebook followers, the challenge also saw the team take in the England vs Brazil friendly at Wembley, appear twice on the Radio 2 Breakfast Show, and overcome a motorway tyre blow-out and acute fatigue.
In doing so they’ve so far raised nearly £5,000 for Evelina Children’s Heart Organisation and ICC Missions.
Dan Preston said of the Challenge: “What blew me away was how everyone got behind us. It perhaps wasn’t as extreme as climbing Everest or jumping from space, but people saw that it was four friends who were as passionate about two amazing charities as they were about football. To see the donations rising was so inspiring, and great encouragement at 4am in the middle of Rochdale!”
Added Chris Jackson: “It was a great experience but a lot tougher than expected. The support we received from complete strangers through social media was unbelievable. The money will help our charities continue supporting children just like my son, Owen, who required major surgery just before his second birthday.”
Luke Martin said: “Only now do I realise the real endurance test we were undertaking. Visiting the grounds was a personal delight but there was a lot of hard work to get round them all.”
Rich Burrough explained: “The way total strangers got behind us was incredible, and got us through. We never expected the challenge to gain such momentum, and we’re all so elated to have done it and to have raised so much. Seeing grounds that hold so much history and tradition was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
The fundraising continues with an online auction of football memorabilia. Visit: www.facebook.com/the92challenge.
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Weather for Lewes
Sunday 19 May 2013
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Light rain
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