Two croquet enthusiasts from Dulwich are playing the game for 26 hours straight to raise funds for their club and Parkinson’s UK, after fellow players were diagnosed with the condition.
Guy Scurfield and Peter Haydon hope to raise £5,000 to be divided between the charity and Dulwich Sports Club.
The challenge will begin on Saturday, July 24, with different partners joining for every hour of the event.
“We did the event last year for 25 hours for our local hospice which was great fun, which is why we are doing the extra hour this year,” Guy explained.
“It was so good to get the club as a whole pulling together, wanting to take part and supporting our efforts.
“Seeing the sun rise, and playing the final hour with our wives was pretty amazing.
“We’ve chosen Parkinson’s UK because some club members have Parkinson’s, so we have personally seen the impact that the condition has.
“Croquet helps offset, just a little, the impact of Parkinson’s, which is wonderful. Keeping active generally is really important for helping to manage the symptoms.”
Parkinson’s has no cure and affects around 145,000 people in the UK. Its range of symptoms include tremors, pain and anxiety, but each person diagnosed will be affected differently.
Simona Southgate, regional fundraiser for London at Parkinson’s UK, said: “We are really grateful to Peter, Guy and all those people supporting this fantastic challenge. We wish them the very best of luck.
“With more than 40 potential symptoms, Parkinson’s can devastate lives.
“While we’ve made huge breakthroughs in the last 50 years, there is still no cure and current treatments are not good enough. Fundraising for Parkinson’s UK helps us drive forward the groundbreaking research we need to transform the lives of people with Parkinson’s”.
To support Guy and Peter’s fundraising, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/26hoursofcroquet
To find out how to fundraise for Parkinson’s UK visit parkinsons.org.uk/fundraising