On possibly the hottest weekend of the year so far, 43 runners and one Tyrannosaurus Rex took part in the Fenland Running Club Social Distancing Relay, observing a 2m boundary at all times.

On Saturday 30^th May running through Wisbech and surrounding areas, the runners clocked up an impressive 270 miles (the equivalent of more than 10 marathons) in the searing heat with one choosing to run in a dinosaur suit! Martin Jennings, owner of Sublime Racing, kindly provided each runner with a goodie bag filled with water, juice, cheesy puffs and a medal and there were also volunteers who provided cycle support behind the runners, keeping them as safe as possible.

The relay was organised to reconnect the club after the initial period of lockdown and to raise money and awareness for CPSL Mind, the local mental health charity. Organiser, Andy Beveridge explains, “life during lockdown has been tough on everyone and this highlighted to me the exceptional job charities like CPSL Mind do to help people struggling to cope”.

Catherine Keating, Community Fundraiser for CPSL Mind said, “The Covid-19 pandemic is affecting people’s mental wellbeing in many different ways and, in response to increased levels of anxiety, isolation and loneliness, we have adapted our existing services – and developed new ones.

In particular, we have been working in partnership with Lifecraft and other voluntary organisations to extend the hours of the community helpline – Lifeline. This helpline provides a listening ear for people who are struggling with their wellbeing during these challenging times by simply calling 0808 808 2121. It is available between 9am and 11pm Monday-Friday and 2pm and 11pm on weekends and Bank Holidays.

With demand for our services remaining high we are extremely grateful to Andy for highlighting the importance of exercise and mental health. The runners helped to raise awareness and funding for our services – a huge thank to everyone involved.”

Anyone wishing to do so, can contribute at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/frcsdr