Tom’s 10K fundraisers smash target with three months to go

Jodie McGill, with brother Jordan and uncle Darren, took part in the Christmas Day sea swim at Hunstanton for Tom's 10K, her family's fundraising drive for St Nicholas Hospice Care. Via Jodie McGill (Image: Jodie McGill)

Now the McGills can start the New Year on a high after reaching a goal to raise £10,000 for charity in memory of a much-loved relative.

Tom McGill, from Thetford, received support from St Nicholas Hospice Care before he died in March 2007.

To mark the 10th anniversary of his death his family, led by granddaughter Jodie McGill, started a challenge – named Tom's 10K – to raise £10,000 for the Bury St Edmunds based charity in 10 months in his memory.

The most recent challenge saw Ms McGill, her brother Jordan and uncle Darren face the cold North Sea during the Hunstanton Christmas Day swim and raise a total of £630 in sponsorship.

Jodie McGill (middle, pictured with her team) is fundraising in memory of her grandad Tom McGill. 10k in 10 months is a series of events raising money for St Nicholas Hospice. A bowling match in Thetford is the latest event to take place. (Image: Archant Norfolk Photographic © 2016)

This money, along with funds raised from collection pots, has pushed them over their fundraising target – three months ahead of schedule.

Keen sportswoman Ms McGill said she heard the good news from St Nicholas Hospice Care on Christmas Eve, after staff at the charity counted out around £350 from the Tom's 10K collection pots. The total now stands at £10,282.

'I was really emotional at the weekend and was a bit overwhelmed, but I am not going to stop fundraising until March because I said I would do it for 10 months.

'A lot of the events we have organised we will now make annual, like to bowls tournament. But I do not think I will do anything on the scale of the Christmas Day swim again!'

The three McGills, all confident swimmers, were among around 140 swimmers who braved the waters of The Wash on Sunday, most of whom were raising money for the Hunstanton and District Round Table.

Ms McGill said: 'It was very cold but it was really good. I think there were about 3,000 people there, and there were a few people there who wanted to come to watch us.

'I would not normally choose to get in the freezing cold sea in the middle of winter, but we can all swim.

'It was something very different to do and we were so close to the target. I thought more people would sponsor us to do that on Christmas morning.'

To donate to Tom's 10K, go to stnicholashospicecare.echoleft.com/tom-mcgill/donateTom's 10K challenges

Since beginning the Tom's 10K challenge in May, Jodie McGill and her family have completed a multitude of sporting activities and other fundraisers in aid of St Nicholas Hospice Care.

These include:

A bowls tournament in Thetford

A cycle ride from Paisley in Scotland (Mr McGill's birth place) to Thetford

An open water swim in the Serpentine river in Hyde Park

Taking part in the Xrunner Wild Warrior mud run in Derbyshire

The Thetford Games sports tournament

Encouraging people to fill Smartie tubes with 20p pieces to donate (which has raised more than £1,400)

A 70s and 80s Halloween Disco in Thetford