A 13-year-old football and fundraising fanatic is due to arrive in Manchester next week on the North West leg of a mammoth 800-mile charity challenge.
Jonjo Heuerman, from Kent, is planning to walk and cycle between all 20 Barclays Premier League clubs over a two-week period, and Manchester United and City fans are being urged to join the youngster by walking or cycling alongside him on Friday February 20.
Jonjo will visit the two Manchester clubs as part of a gruelling 36-mile cycling trip – starting with the two Merseyside clubs Everton and Liverpool – before moving on to Old Trafford and finally arriving at the Etihad Stadium.
Not content with covering more miles in a day than most of us would in a month, the teenager will enjoy a brief respite before setting off from Eastlands on Saturday February 21 to embark on a 39-mile journey to the Britannia Stadium, home of Stoke City.
HIKE ON A BIKE: At more than 800 miles, Jonjo is facing a huge challenge
This is the fifth year that Jonjo has undergone a challenge in aid of the Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK, raising a staggering £191,000 so far and garnering support from Rio and Anton Ferdinand, Steven Gerrard, Cilla Black and West Ham vice-chairwoman Baroness Karren Brady, to name a few.
An avid West Ham United fan, Jonjo’s fundraising walks are done in honour of his grandma Lyn and Hammers legend Bobby Moore, both of whom died of bowel cancer.
Jonjo said: “I’m really excited about my challenge this year. I know it will be really hard but I want to help to find a cure for cancer so families don’t have to go through what my family did when my Nanny was ill.”
Accompanied by parents Donna and Gary, he will start this year’s challenge on Saturday February 14 at Newcastle United’s SportsDirect Arena and continue south, calling at: Sunderland, Hull City, Burnley, Everton, Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City, Stoke City, Leicester City, Aston Villa, West Bromwich Albion, Swansea City and Southampton.
Jonjo will round off the monumental trip on February 28 by walking between all of the London-based clubs in the top flight.
Starting at his beloved West Ham, he will call at Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Queens Park Rangers, Chelsea and Crystal Palace, before a fittingly ceremonial arrival back at the Bobby Moore statue outside Upton Park.
He will then hold a ceremony in which he will read out all the names of loved ones who have died from cancer, which will be printed on his football shirt.
Ben Gee, fundraiser for Cancer Research UK, said: “This is another inspiring challenge from Jonjo and his family. Each year they manage to put a new twist to it to keep the interest going and raise more money.
“The funds Jonjo and his family and supporters raise will help save more lives by preventing, diagnosing and treating all types of cancer.”
For more details, contact information and to register for the challenge click here.
You can donate to the cause by clicking here or by texting CAPT66 inserting the amount you wish to donate (e.g £3) to 70070
You can also sending a cheque/postal order payable to The Bobby Moore Fund to: Jonjo’s Walk, c/o The Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK, 18 Montpelier Avenue, Bexley, Kent, DA5 3AL.
