£1,000 raised for charities at Bognor basketball team’s free throw challenge

The GSD Basketball under-12 players split into two teams to make 1,992 and 1,987 free throws each – to mark the years The Sussex Snowdrop Trust and St Wilfrid’s Hospice were founded.

The event was held at the Felpham club with strict social distance guidelines and hygiene procedures in place – including club coach David Morgan spraying the basketball hoop after each player had completed their free throws using their own ball.

David said: “I’m very proud of the rules and initiatives in place within the GSDBA, our junior basketball league. One rule within the league is that each team competing within it must complete one fundraising event each year for a local cause or charity. This is firstly to install a sense of community spirit within the children, and secondly to actively encourage the teams to connect with their local communities.

“What happened last Sunday was very special. I set an extremely difficult challenge for both teams, asking a great deal of them both. Children, as young as eight years old, spent the entire day outside, shooting against the wind. It didn’t matter how many shots were blown out of the basket, they just continued to shoot. The resilience and determination from them all was incredible. In addition to this, the parent support we received was absolutely wonderful. I often refer to our club as our GSD family and that day really showcased this. When this many people begin to connect and work together in this way, there’s no limit to what they can achieve.

Anneliese Flynn from the club said: “The U12 team have been working hard putting together a fun video showing all team members passing the ball to each other.

“We are all missing our matches and training sessions and this was the perfect way to connect with each other during lockdown.

“We are aware that many local charities are finding it hard to raise funds during the pandemic, so we devised a way to help them.

“We are asking the public who are unable to join in this private event to be our virtual cheerleaders by donating to these worthwhile causes.”

Di Levantine, chairman and co‐founder of The Sussex Snowdrop Trust, said: “Congratulations to all the players who took part in this event. It takes a huge amount of work and dedication to put on an event such as this. We are so grateful for the support from parents and grandparents for donating.

“To receive over £500 is so welcome at this time with so many events being cancelled.

“Our Snowdrop nurses have supported a family attached to the basketball club so they can appreciate the difference the Snowdrop team can make physically, emotionally and financially to a family.

“It is wonderful that the club connected with a children’s charity as well as a charity who care for the elderly which promotes the need for nursing care at the most important time in a person’s life.

“In this time of uncertainty, it is humbling that so many are reaching out to raise vital funds for local charities. We are so grateful.”

Next season the club intends to triple the number of teams it enter in to the league and is looking for charities for these teams to work with.

If you know of an appropriate cause in need, email David at [email protected]

To donate to the fundraisers visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/gsdba or www.justgiving.com/fundraising/gsdba2

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