Catz undergraduates launch charity challenge

The St Catharine’s Junior Common Room (JCR) Committee that represents the College’s undergraduate students has launched a campaign designed to keep our community active during lockdown and beyond, while raising much-needed funds for a good cause.

Between November and midnight on New Year’s Eve, #AWheelyLongWay challenges students, alumni, staff and Fellows to walk, run, cycle, erg or even swim a combined total of 3,500 miles (5,600km).

The JCR chose this goal because it represents the distance from the College’s Main Court on Trumpington Street in Cambridge to Sanaʽa, the largest city in Yemen. All funds raised by the challenge will be donated to the Yemen Crisis Appeal organised by CARE International in response to of the 24 million people in need of humanitarian assistance in Yemen, including more than 12 million children.

Rory Cockshaw (2019, Natural Sciences), JCR President, commented, “The primary reason I love being at Catz is that our community is utterly committed to benefiting the world at large. I am so proud that funds raised through #AWheelyLongWay will help the response to the humanitarian crisis in the Yemen. Closer to home, the challenge will also support our own welfare, by reminding us that we can have a purpose and encouraging us all to go outside, stay active and use exercise to socialise (safely and lawfully) by walking or running in pairs.”

By 21 November, the campaign had made good progress, raising over £215 and travelling a combined 2,300km thanks to the 185 distances logged from across the Catz community.

How to get involved

• Log the distance you cover each week or so at https://forms.gle/mVtTCHbiLj95moqG8
• Donate to the challenge through a dedicated JustGiving page at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/CatzAWheelyLongWay
• Share your progress via social media with the hashtag #AWheelyLongWay

Update from the JCR

With over 70 people from across the Catz community getting involved, the campaign achieved its target distance with 20 days to spare and £385 raised.