Fitness fanatic Jack keeps on running for Rotherham Hospice

The 12-year-old Wickersley Youth player dreamed up a sponsored 100km running challenge to keep himself fit and raise cash for Rotherham Hospice.

Mum Sarah said: “Jack came up with the idea of raising money for the hospice because when his grandad was ill he was taken there and Jack knew how kind the nurses, staff and doctors were to him and his sister and brother.

“He knows how much it costs to run the hospice for a year and that most of the money comes from fundraising, so he decided that as he couldn’t play or train for football, he would go running to keep fit and hopefully raise some much needed funds, too.”

Jack hopes to complete his challenge on Christmas Eve with a run to the hospice.

He said: “When my grandad was in the hospice, they helped him and did a good job.

“I think he would be proud of me.”

Asked how he had coped with going out in the wet and windy November conditions, he added: “It’s been fine — I’m not bothered about the rain or anything because I play football in all weathers anyway.

“I think you just have to tell yourself you can do it, because then you can do it.”

Sarah said: “When he decided what he was doing I said to him it was a long way and if he signed up to it he had to finish it.

“But he was really close to his grandad and said he wanted to do it for him.

“I went out with him and I was struggling to keep up with him.

“He will come in from a run and then say can we go and play football in the garden.”

She added: “I think he’s shocked how much money he’s raised but people have really got behind him.

“We started off with a target of £150 and it just keeps going up.”

At the end of last week the figure raised by Jack stood at around £800.

Visit https://tinyurl.com/jackreeder to sponsor Jack.