The Newcastle University Real Tennis Society is holding a 24- hour endurance event in order to help two local charities. George Bishop, the secretary and co-founder of the society, and a current third year at the university, has organised the event to coincide with its first anniversary.
The event will be held at Jesmond Dene Real Tennis Club on Friday December 8, and will see the society members take on the formidable challenge. The group will be playing doubles, with the parameters being that there must always be four people on court at all times.
The two charities the event is supporting are special to the society members in different ways. The first is the #JackTheLad foundation, which was created in memory of Jack Howe, who died in a tragic accident when he was on holiday, at just 19-years-old.
The charity campaigns for safer holidays abroad for the UK’s young people.
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Jack was also a student at Newcastle University, so George and the other members of the Real Tennis Society wanted to offer their support to his family. The second charity is the Newcastle Dog and Cat Shelter.
George has spoken about the event, why the society chose to hold it and how much he is looking forward to it. He said: "I think that it is very important for us to represent students in this way, especially when something as tragic as what happened to Jack Howe has taken place.
"We want to give back to that charity, as well as the dog and cat shelter in a city which, on a personal level, has become a second home for me throughout the time that I have been here. I am originally from Wiltshire but I honestly feel like Newcastle is a place where I feel so comfortable.
"There are eight of us taking part in the event overall, with the plan being that four of us will always be on court playing doubles throughout the 24 hour period. I am very excited, as is everyone else, it should be a good challenge but it is also demanding which I am looking forward to.
"It is a sport that we all love playing so I am counting down the days. I hope that people can support us by donating to our go fund me page and helping us to reach our £1,000 target, any help is amazing and we appreciate it all."
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