Hucknall woman taking on festive fitness challenge for Macmillan
A Hucknall woman is taking on an Advent countdown with a difference this year – and getting festive fit in the process.
Helen Dearden is taking on Macmillan Cancer Support’s '25 days of festive fitness' challenge this year which finishes on Boxing Day.
And in order to make it even more festive, Helen is going to do it in the theme of an Advent calander, drawing a randomised challenge from an Advent box each day throughout the month.
Whilst the last challenge will be on Boxing Day, she has decided to do a specific challenge on Hucknall High Street on Chrismas Eve to help highten the Christmas spirit of the Hucknall shoppers.
That day, Helen will do 200 lunges up and down along High Street, amongst the last-minute Chrismas shoppers – dressed as an elf.
The majority of all other challenges will also be done in public, also dressed in an elf outfit, either around the Hucknall streets or at Hucknall Leisure Centre.
Helen, aged 29, has lived all of her life in Hucknall and teaches dance fitness to both adults and children across Nottingham, including a number of classes at Hucknall Leisure Centre.
She is used to carrying out challenges for different charities and has previously raised money for cancer research and also the mental health support charity Mind.
On this occasion, Macmillan have set a fundraising target of £150 for anyone taking part in their festive challenge – but Helen will be happy to raise as much as possible, as any amount raised will be incredibly valuable to them.
She has set up a fundraising page on gofundme which people can donate to now at https://gofund.me/efcc8909
On that, Helen said: “I'd be so grateful for your support, anything you can donate really will help to make a difference.
"It will help to keep me motivated as we take on this epic challenge too.
"Macmillan do whatever it takes to help everyone with cancer live life as fully as they can.”
Macmillan say anyone can take part in their challenge this month, doing anything from a walk in the park to dancing around the room to your favourite Christmas hits – it all helps support people living with cancer.
For more information, visit macmillan.org.uk/fundraise/25-days-of-festive-fitness-challenge