Ignit10n raises £19,000 so far

On Friday the 7^th March 2014, Ignit10n was launched at the University of Bristol. A total of 550 students took the Centre for Sport, Exercise and Health by storm. 13 of the University’s sports clubs undertook various 10-hour athletic endurance challenges.

The ignit10n athletes demonstrated outstanding determination, reflected in their achievements on the day. All sports clubs completed or exceeded their ambitious targets. The Team of 2014 are American Football, who aimed to lift 4 million kg, but managed an unbelievable total of 10 million kg in the 10-hour period. The Football and Futsal Clubs completed a 10 hour Dribbleathon around the city; The Triathlon Club swum the equivalent of the English channel in the less choppy waters of the Union pool; the Netball club scored 11,683 goals; and Cricket made 1,900 diving catches. Together, the Athletics and Cross Country clubs ran the length of England; Hockey completed a 10-hour indoor game with a score of 159-157; Lacrosse spun to Rome; the Cycling Club completed their fantastic Tour de Burrito; Rowing covered an incredible 641km and the Rugby Club stair climbed to the top of Everest… twice!

The atmosphere in and around the Tyndall Avenue sports centre was overwhelming. The sports hall and was buzzing and the street was alive with enthusiastic volunteers raising awareness and money for our fantastic cause. The impact and dedication of our student athletes, volunteers, the university staff and our generous donors has been incredible and has sparked the beginning of what is set to be an annual event in Bristol University’s fundraising and sporting calendar. It is a testament to everything that sport at Bristol represents – passion, dedication, competition and respect.

The organisers are incredibly grateful to the students involved; to the Alumni Foundation for their generous donation, which launched the event and spread the word of ignit10n’s mission throughout the university; and to the University’s SEH department for their unwavering support, guidance and for the use of their fantastic facilities. Everyone is incredibly proud about the work they have done, enabling the continued development of the facilities, treatments and research that is being carried out in Bristol’s hospitals by our sole beneficiary, Above & Beyond.  Their Golden Gift Appeal will raise an outstanding £6m to transform the BRI and the BHOC. The appeal will equip these two hugely important hospitals to deliver both today’s life-saving care and the pioneering treatments of tomorrow. Every donation, big or small, will help give patients throughout the region the gift of gold-standard healthcare.

So far, the team is proud to announce that ignit10n has raised £19,000, but with an overall fundraising target of £20,000, we still have one final push to go. For information about how to donate to help us raise this last £1,000, please visit www.facebook.com/ignit10nBristol