The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Gary Slator and (right) Charlie Farrow are two of the 14 Spalding Squash and Racketball Club members taking part in a 24-hour charity marathon. Photo: VNG230914-11
A 24-hour racket marathon gets under way in Spalding on Friday (Oct 3), raising money for the charity Group B Strep Support.
Fourteen members of Spalding Squash and Racketball Club will be taking part at the Holyrood Walk base.
Member and marathon organiser Charlie Farrow said: “We’re hoping that our fundraising challenge will raise £3,000 together with invaluable awareness of Group B Strep (GBS) infection in newborn babies.
“We chose that charity because we know a number of people affected by it.”
Group B Streptococcus is the UK’s most common cause of life-threatening infection in newborn babies. Carried by one in four pregnant women, the bacteria can be passed from mother to baby around birth and, without preventative medicine, an estimated one out of every 300 babies born to women carrying GBS would become seriously ill, ten per cent will die and up to half of the survivors of GBS meningitis will suffer life-long consequences.
The marathon, which starts at 7pm, will see players on court for 30-minute sessions in rotation. Spectators welcome. Donations can be made online at www.justgiving.com/24hourrackets-marathon2014/ or text GBSS90 plus £1, £2, £5 or £10 to 70070.
