Members of a Selly Oak-based gym have rowed and skied the equivalent distance from Birmingham to the North Pole, raising £630 in aid of Birmingham Women’s Hospital Charity, crossing the finish line to be named this week’s charity champion.

The team at Second City CrossFit was inspired to host the fundraising challenge as a number of their staff and gym members have benefited from the care and support offered by the hospital. They wanted to plan an event that would be fun, but also challenging and rewarding, which is where the idea of rowing and skiing to the North Pole – a daunting 4177km – came from. The gym called on its members to support and they responded in their droves with nearly 200 people taking part over the course of three weeks, both in regular classes and in their own time.

Each kilometre took, on average, four to six minutes to complete, demonstrating the commitment and hard work needed to finish the challenge. Each of the participants rose to the occasion and were so enthusiastic in their attempt that they actually beat the gym’s target distance and travelled an extra 258km!  

Tanita Mistry, Regional Fundraiser at Birmingham Women’s Hospital Charity, comments: “This really was some feat for the gym members and staff to take on – but with the team being such fitness fanatics, I’m not surprised they smashed their target. As many of the gym members have personally benefited from the services and care offered by our hospital, it’s lovely to see them giving back to ensure others receive the same support.”

The money raised will benefit the maternity ward at the hospital. Mike Holmes, one of the coaches at Second City CrossFit, said: “We were thrilled to see how enthusiastically our members – of all ages – jumped at the opportunity to raise money by using their fitness. The hospital is local to many of our members and they and their families have likely received specialist care, so it was a no brainer for us to choose Birmingham Women’s Hospital Charity to support – and the maternity ward in particular. The event was such a success that we will definitely be planning our next fundraising event soon.”

If you’re inspired by the team at Second City CrossFit and would like to take on your own challenge, please visit bwh.org.uk, call 0121 335 8040 or email [email protected]