Woking boss Alan Dowson has bounced back from the coronavirus to help neighbours Goldsworth Park Rangers raise an amazing £29,000 for local children’s charities!
The Cards boss – hospitalised for three weeks at the height of the global health crisis in April – weighed in with £1,630 by keeping a pre-pandemic promise to run 22.6km around a giant lake in Goldsworth Park.
Together with Chris Sexton from Woking Football in the Community, he is pictured completing the charity challenge in just 2 hours 38mins!
The National League club’s Surrey neighbours field more than 50 teams for 600 plus boys and girls and have been supported by the 49-year-old former Kingstonian and Hampton & Richmond Borough boss for the last two years.
Last weekend’s ‘GPR – together for charity’ event was staged after the coronavirus forced the FA Charter Standard Development club to cancel its annual end of season fundraising tournament that normally attracts more than 2,000 players.
The £29,000 is set be split between the club and two other local children’s charities – the Halo Children’s Foundation and Shooting Star Children’s hospice.
Goldsworth Park Rangers chairman Lee Swain said on Friday: “We were so grateful when Dowse offered to raise money for the club, a real big-hearted gesture.
“Alongside him we also had members of the club do a 20.20km run, a 100km cycle, an eight-hour penalty shoot-out and a darts challenge to score 2020 bulls eyes, all raising money for us and the other two charities.
“As club chairman I am proud of all our members that played their part in this weekend and can’t thank them enough. These are two charities close to our heart as they have supported members of the club in recent years.
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“We are so thankful to all of our players, their families and all our volunteers that got behind the challenge. It was great to see the photos and videos of the kids enjoying their weekend and grateful for the sponsorship raised.”
He added: “To raise £29,000 was beyond our wildest dreams and we are proud to be supporting two other charities.”
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