Locals raise £1,000 in lockdown for 'thrilled' Preston eating disorder charity as part of 2.6 Challenge

Matt Williams taking part in his challenge.

The coronavirus outbreak has had a devastating impact on charities' income streams, with thousands of events and fundraising opportunities cancelled. In an attempt to lessen the shortfall, the 2.6 Challenge is encouraging people to get involved in raising money for their chosen charity in lockdown across, with participants doing everything from running 2.6 miles to doing a 26-person Zoom workout.

A registered charity which provides a support network to sufferers of eating, food, and weight-related issues, S.E.E.D (Support & Education for Eating Disorders) has received a grand total of £1,038 as a result of the challenge. Some of the challenges included Sianna and Georgia filming 26 Tik Toks, Christina Parnell cycling 26 miles with her son, Mimi doing 26 handstand half turns, and Matt Williams doing 26 Turkish Get Ups with 26kg kettle bells.

“Fundraising events in the UK have naturally been postponed or cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but this is extremely tough on charities like ours that can only provide the services we do thanks to donations," said Shelley Perry, CEO OF S.E.E.D. "We know many sadly have been left struggling to maintain their services and so we were thrilled that we had so many people support us in this 2.6 challenge and were amazed at the creativity people of all ages showed in their fundraising efforts.”

Matt Williams, who raised £605, said: “I am supporting S.E.E.D. because I have seen first-hand the importance of education and support for families dealing with eating disorders.”

Shelley continued: “I’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who pledged their support, and to be honest I was astounded by how much we raised. The charity receives no funding or support, so we rely on the goodwill of our staff, volunteers, and donations from the general public to keep doing the work we do.

"I would like to take this opportunity to also plea to any local businesses who may be looking for a CSR partner or charity to support during these unprecedented times as any amount, no matter how small is invaluable to us right now," she added.

To make a donation to S.E.E.D., head to https://seedlancashire.charitycheckout.co.uk/donate#!/. For more information, call 01772 915 735 or email [email protected]