Friends keep Natalie’s challenge rolling
DETERMINED to fundraise as much money as possible, one under-the-weather Guernsey woman has managed to keep her 3km for every day of October challenge going – thanks to her friends.
Natalie Wrigley had been due to complete a different challenge every day, including skipping, dancing and even – her favourite – pogo stick-ing for 3km, then in her penultimate week she caught a viral throat infection.
She did have a Covid test, which came back negative, but was unable to do any more outdoor challenges until she got better.
Her friends, however, had other ideas and several of them stepped up to the plate.
One of these was Jacquie Hewitt.
She took up rowing for the chance to raise funds for Ms Wrigley’s charity of choice, Friends of Frossard Children’s Ward, in memory of Natalie’s mum, who worked on the ward for nearly 30 years.
‘I’ve known Natalie since she was a nursery carer for my boys many years ago and had also worked with her mum, Liz, on Frossard Ward,’ she said.
Ms Wrigley’s mum died in 2012 from cancer and since then she has done a challenge every year to honour her by raising awareness of the charity.
Ms Hewitt added that this year the challenge was particularly ‘bonkers and challenging’, yet friends still stepped up to the plate.
‘Thursday’s challenge that she had been unable to complete was rowing,’ she said.
‘So I dragged the machine out of the garage and did the 3km for her.’
Laura Meinke did 40 minutes of walking and cartwheeling every two minutes yesterday to also keep the 3km every day challenge going.
‘I’ve joined her for some of her challenges already,’ she said.
‘It’s really good fun, good exercise and for a really good cause.
‘Amazingly, she’s already smashed her target of £500 and has nearly smashed her second target of £900 – it’s incredible what she does and she raises so much.’
Today Ms Wrigley’s friend and her niece are doing 3km in a go-kart and tomorrow a few more are doing different 3km hits – cycling, running and dribbling a ball.
‘The support I’ve had over the whole of my challenge, including people joining me, has been so overwhelming, but having people doing 3km for me whilst I’m ill is incredible,’ said Ms Wrigley.
‘I felt so guilty when I fell ill, that I was going to think of different ways I could complete 3km indoors but all my friends said not to do that and to rest so I can smash it in my final days of the challenge, so they’ve all simply stepped in to keep my spirits up – my friends are the best.’
She hopes to continue her final set of challenges next week.
. To donate, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/3kEveryDay.
