Marathon effort to help bailey, 3

Four teams of high-octane, sports enthusiasts and property professionals from construction firm, Strategic Team Group, will be racing for the finish line as they take part in the first Strategic Lions Sports Challenge on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The four teams of cyclists, runners, golfers and footballers, aptly named Strategic Lions, will collectively be covering 2,000 miles as they race the length and breadth of the UK on foot and bikes, play 90 holes of golf and two back-to-back football matches all to raise funds for Help for Heroes and Ectodermal Dysplasia Society.

The 36 Yorkshire athletes and their respective support crews are all pushing themselves to the limit to raise funds for the two charities, which are close to their hearts.

The Ectodermal Dysplasia Society, has played a huge role in helping and supporting Strategic Team Group site manager, Andy Squires and his family, as their three-year-old son Bailey was diagnosed with the genetic disorder when he was 14 months old.

Ectodermal dysplasia is a group of conditions in which there is abnormal development of the skin, hair, nails, teeth, or sweat glands.

Depending on the particular syndrome ED can also affect the lens or retina of the eye, parts of the inner ear, the development of fingers and toes, the nerves and other parts of the body. The Ectodermal Dysplasia Society provides information, advice and support to those affected by Ectodermal Dysplasia. The ED Society promotes the education of the medical profession and general public, supports research, produces regular newsletters, liaises with the charity’s Medical Advisory Board, supports members in negotiations for financial aid/other services, encourages a network for mutual support and maintains a website.

The team of eight cyclists, includes 11 times Best British All Round champion Kevin Dawson, double Olympian John Tanner, top UK time trialist and CX racer Keith Murray, TT racer Chris Last and UK domestic racer, Collin Humphrey. The riders will pedal more than 1,075 miles non-stop, from Lands End to John O’Groats, in the legendary “end to end” race in an attempt to break 36 hours.

The riders have the extra pressure of completing the distance in less time than it takes the runners to stride out from west to east coast.

While the cyclists are pedalling south to north, the runners will be pounding the streets from west to east coast covering some 238 miles with the aim of finishing in under 36 hours, and hopefully beating the cyclists.

Starting in Conway in North Wales and finishing at Flamborough Head, the team of eight will each run 30 miles.

Avid golfers, headed by Strategic Team Group’s operations director, Gary Taylor will be teeing off at five different golf courses in three different countries. Playing 90 holes each and travelling more than 600 miles between courses, which include Vale of Llangollen Golf Club in Wales, Brampton Golf Club in Cumbria, Roxburghe Golf Club in Scotland, Slaley Hall in Northumberland and finishing at Rockliffe Hall in County Durham.

On Saturday, the footballers will play two back-to-back matches against a Select XI of Ossett Town Football Club and Dads of the Lads Team at Ingfield Stadium in Ossett. This event will be a full family day out which will also include the juniors from Ossett Town FC playing in between matches.

Strategic Team Group’s managing director, Andy Watson said: “It’s not often that the chance to mix adrenaline-junkie style sports, work and raising funds for charity comes along, but our team of dedicated athletes and some who were not so athletic, immediately volunteered when we initially mooted the idea of a weekend of extreme challenges.

“Our aim is to raise as much cash as possible to boost our chosen charity’s coffers, with the added benefit of aiming to be the fittest and healthiest property solutions firm in the UK.”