A FORMER rugby star has lined up a summer of fundraising events in tribute to his late brother, already bringing in £8,000 for two cancer charities.
Graham Bell, a stalwart of the 1st XV at Jersey RFC between 2008 and 2013, was one of many ‘golden oldies’ who dug out their rugby boots for a return to action in a recent match against Guernsey.
The match, which also saw a return to Jersey colours for ex-England international Matt Banahan, became part of a gruelling series of events arranged by Mr Bell this year.
The Hospice to Hospice half-marathon in March signalled the start of the challenge, followed last month by a 40-mile ‘Double-Top’ ultra-marathon. Mr Bell then set his sights on this month’s Edinburgh Marathon in his native Scotland, with six more events planned over the next four months, including the Jersey Triathlon and the Round the Rock ultra-marathon.
Mr Bell is raising money for Macmillan Jersey and the Jersey Cancer Trust, two charities that provided great help after his younger brother was diagnosed with cancer in late 2020.
Craig Bell, who visited his brother regularly from his home in Scotland and subsequently lived in Jersey between 2018 and 2021, died on 2 October last year, and his brother plans to finish his challenge exactly a year later, when he tackles the London Marathon.
Mr Bell said: ‘You don’t know until someone close to you is affected how much charities like these do in providing practical help and support.
‘It started off with me wanting to try to give a little bit back – I didn’t have a particular fundraising target in mind, but I’ve had some brilliant support so far.’
The annual Nash Cup between veteran Jersey players and their Guernsey counterparts was not initially part of the programme, but the cause was embraced by Mr Bell’s team-mates as they stepped up their training for the match.
‘A lot of the boys knew Craig well, and many of them have had their own experiences with cancer through friends or family members and wanted to help, so we ended up collecting just over £2,500 on the day,’ he said. Physically the match was a tough one for Mr Bell (41) and other players who had got out of the habit of competing physically on the rugby pitch every week.
‘I’ve had a slight issue with my hamstrings and a sore Achilles, so in that respect it might not have been the best idea, but it was fantastic to get out on the field again with lots of old mates, and I’m not looking to set any world records in these events, just aiming to get round,’ he said.
The post-match aches and pains were eased by a convincing win over the old rivals, followed by a couple of beers, and so far the overall tally for the challenge has reached £8,000. Donations can be made at sportsgiving.co.uk/sponsorship/race/2776.
