Ollerton Rugby Club members in charity walk after vandals damaged changing rooms

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Members of Ollerton Rugby Club are preparing for their latest charity challenge – which this year will support their own club after vandals caused hundreds of pounds worth of damage.

The club has a history of fundraising for charities in the area and this year will celebrate its 40th anniversary with more than 20 members walking 40 kilometres (25 miles) in fourty hours spread over two days.

The challenge is due to take place on Saturday September 5 and Sunday September 6, both starting at 12noon. Saturday’s walk will be through the pit tips of Ollerton, Thoresby and Clipstone Colliery while Sunday’s will be a local walk through Ollerton, Boughton and Bothamsall.

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It is hoped the walk will raise £500 to fix the damaged changing facilities at the club after vandals broke in and wreaked havoc.

Ollerton Rugby Club members will walk 40 kilometres to celebrate 40 years as a club, and to raise funds to fix damage caused by teen vandalsOllerton Rugby Club members will walk 40 kilometres to celebrate 40 years as a club, and to raise funds to fix damage caused by teen vandals
Ollerton Rugby Club members will walk 40 kilometres to celebrate 40 years as a club, and to raise funds to fix damage caused by teen vandals

Darren Wilford, volunteers coordinator and second team manager at Ollerton Rugby Club, said: “We have done fundraising in the past but it is usually for a chosen charity, such as Linc and Notts Air Ambulance or Macmillan cancer, but we are doing this for ourselves because of the damage.

"Some kids broke all the tiles round the sunlight of the changing rooms, broke in through that, smashed all the glass in the doors, ripped a plug off the wall, and there is a lot of superficial damage, as well – such as throwing mud at the walls, and they ripped our banner.

"The tiles are going to cost us a bit of money because we can’t just leave it else they would get in again as they have broken the lock off the door, too.

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"We passed things over to the police but because they are under 16 and still at school there is very little they can actually do."

The club is back non-contact training on Wednesdays and Saturdays, but needs your help to fix the changing facilitiesThe club is back non-contact training on Wednesdays and Saturdays, but needs your help to fix the changing facilities
The club is back non-contact training on Wednesdays and Saturdays, but needs your help to fix the changing facilities

The club is back training on Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings with non-contact sessions, with new players always welcome.

Darren has set up a JustGiving page for people to donate to the fundraiser, and they have already raised £160 – but there is a log way still to go.

Darren said: "We are trying to raise £500 through the JustGiving page which should just about cover it – we are begging and borrowing as much as we can.

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"We have had some paint donated to do the walls, and we will get some tiles at cost price but need glass for the inside doors, and some of the showers are broken.

The tiles will cost a lot to replaceThe tiles will cost a lot to replace
The tiles will cost a lot to replace

“We are trying to raise £40 each, but if anyone else wants to throw in a tenner or £20 that will make a massive difference and will soon mount up.”

Darren hopes that at least 20 participants will get involved in the walk over the two days, and there is even a finishers medal up for grabs for those that take part.

To support the fundraiser, visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/40kmin40hours.

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