Leigh Triumph in Charity Challenge

12 May 2010

Saturday’s first ever Think Ahead Stroke Group Wigan vs Leigh Charity Challenge was a resounding success, with around 500 people attending throughout the afternoon.  The event saw Leigh triumph in a shock win against Wigan on their home turf, Wigan having led in the points for most of the day.

The “Charity Challenge” was hosted by the local stroke awareness and support charity, Think Ahead Stroke Group, in celebration of National Stroke Awareness Day.

The event was attended by a host of community groups including; a number of teams from local amateur rugby clubs Leigh Miners Rangers, St Pats and New Spring Legion Lions.  Eighty cheerleaders from the Supreme Starlights group, the Golborne Ladies and Astley – Tyldesley girls football teams, Leigh Genesis, Winstanley Warriors, Cherrybrook and Golborne Gladitators football teams, and Westleigh Ladies, Scarlett Ladies and St Peters netball teams.

The afternoon’s activities included the Wigan v Leigh walk-off, adapted bicycles, giant Connect 4, Jenga, adult and child giant sumo suits, tick rugby, football, football penalty kicking, netball shooting, tug of war, Caterpillar Derby, giant ball pit, face painters, and of course the Pie and Spoon race.

Health information stands were also manned by Nurses, Active Living Team, Health Trainers, Drop A Shirt Size, Smoking Cessation, and the Wigan Family Chiropractic Clinic.

The charity challenge was supposed to close with a 100 person pie and spoon race, however just before the start of the race it was discovered that 50 of the pies, which had been donated by Greenhalghs, had mysteriously disappeared. The investigation into “who ate all the pies” is ongoing, however given the location of the event and the numbers attending the number of possible suspects is too great to contemplate!

Despite the loss of half the pies, the pie and spoon race was an exciting and fitting close to the day’s activities.  The Pie and spoon race was won by Wiganer Darrell Burrows, and in second and third places were Leigh Miners Rangers club members and proud Leighers Chris Worrall and Jamie King.

The final score from all of the afternoon’s events was Leigh with 761 to Wigan’s 695, and Leigh were declared the winners

Chairman and proud Wiganer Mike Aspinall explains: “Our first ever Charity Challenge was a resounding success…if only it hadn’t been won by Leigh!!  I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who came along and made the day a fantastic event, there couldn’t have been a better way of celebrating National Stroke Awareness Day, and of raising awareness of stroke as a condition and of Think Ahead in our community.”

Mike explains: “All day Wigan were leading in the points and I thought we had it in the bag, but those Leighers really got behind their town and beat us in the closing minutes of the event, I couldn’t believe it! Next year I want Wigan to turn out in force and regain that trophy!”

Linda Monaghan, staunch Leigher and Support Administrator at Think Ahead is in no doubt: “I could not be more chuffed that Leigh won our first ever Charity Challenge, and in Wigan! Everyone thought that Wigan had it won, but you shouldn’t underestimate Leighers.  I can’t wait for the opportunity for Leigh to beat Wigan again next year.”