Devoted members of Colne and Nelson Rugby Club are hopeful of smashing a Guiness World Record to boost their profile and raise awareness of a rare genetic disorder.
With the help of friends and the Padgett family, a 28-strong team are aiming to hold the longest ever game of touch rugby at Holt House on August 10th. The title currently sits with an amateur club in Australia, who tackled their way to the top spot with a match lasting 27 hours.
The extreme endurance challenge was the brainwave of club members Adam Padgett (23), Tom Davies (17), and Callum Kinane (20), who were all keen to highlight muscular dystrophy and make as much money as possible for the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign.
Adam’s brother Ryan (19) was diagnosed with a form of the disorder, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, at just six years old, and became wheelchair-bound at the age of nine. Duchenne muscular dystrophy causes muscles to weaken and waste over time, leading to increasing disability and significantly affecting life-expectancy.
Adam, a site supervisor at Colne Primet High School, said: “It’s not just going to be a world record attempt, with a fund-raiser on the side. We are aiming to have a large fun day, where the whole community will hopefully be raising money.”
Adam’s mum, Sue, of Dixon Street, Barrowford, added: “Ryan has a good life, and he is happy, but what we want to do is bring muscular dystrophy to people’s minds.
“If we can take the fear and panic away from just one other family, then it will be worth it. As a mum, I don’t want anybody to be told what I was told the day Ryan was diagnosed.
“I am really proud of all three of the boys for coming up with the idea.”
And Charles Horton, the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign’s volunteer fund-raising manager for the North-West added: “This is going to be an extremely gruelling challenge for all those involved, and we feel deeply grateful to the team for taking this on.
“We have set the target of raising £1.6million by 2015 to back encouraging research being undertaken by leading scientists into therapies to tackle Duchenne muscular dystrophy. With the help of people like the Padgetts, their family, friends and community, we can make sure we keep up the march towards a treatment and campaign now to make sure the NHS is ready to deliver it when it comes.”
Any residents that have any ideas for the August fun day, including hosting a tombola or a raffle, are asked to contact Tom on 07780451120 or email communitycoach@clubmember.org.
Visit www.justgiving.com/Rugby-World-Record-Attempt-2013 to show your support.