April Member of the Month

Our member of the month is Andrew, who has chosen to use Hatfield Leisure Centre to train so he can complete a London – Amsterdam Cycle in June 2022.  Across 4 days, Andrew will cover an average of 90 miles a day, to raise money and awareness for the Jamie McVeigh Foundation, a charity very close to Andrews’s heart.

The Jamie McVeigh Foundation (JMF) was set up by friends and family of Jamie after his tragic death at the young age of just 19.  Although the circumstances surrounding his death never fully being understood, his friends and family believed they had a social responsibility to raise awareness and spread the message ‘ITS OK TO NOT BE OK’  The JMF provides pathways into sport and physical activity by supporting those in the community in and around Hatfield through financial support.

We spoke to Andrew about why he chose Hatfield Leisure Centre to train for this event…

I’ve been a member since I was about 15 years old, when I attended the Junior Gym sessions. Having lived round the corner, it meant I could walk to the gym and go whenever I liked. I love the friendly atmosphere at Hatfield Leisure Centre.

Hatfield Leisure Centre has everything I need to pack in a workout to build my strength and work on my stamina. I quite like the spin classes as they’re very tough on your legs and lungs!

I signed up for the cycling challenge during lockdown when I was lacking motivation and direction. Having something to train for is a great way to re-focus and stay committed to training. It’s a long way out of my comfort zone as naturally I’m a good runner, not so great on a bike - I think that was why I was set on doing it.

But for me the most important part is fundraising for this amazing charity and being able to support them in the incredibly important work that they do. Getting young people connected to a community through sport and exercise is something I feel strongly about. Having friends/people to be able to go with worries is massively important, especially more so now with the big push on dealing with mental health issues.

We wish Andrew the best of Luck for his cycle from London-Amsterdam!

If you wish to donate please click here  https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/jamiemcveighfoundationldn-ams?utm_term=B4MqnP52q