Three members of a Twickenham gym have raised almost £6500 for local NHS workers after completing a year-long extreme press-up challenge.
Dana Jamieson, along with Blitz Gym friends Joe Ward and Amy Church, started the challenge on March 21st 2020, aiming to raise £5,000 for NHS charity CW+, the official charity of Chelsea and Westminster Hospital.
The challenge involved the participants doing daily press-ups, increasing the number performed each day by one, starting with one press-up on day one and eventually increasing to 365 on the last day of the challenge.
By the end of the challenge on Sunday, the team had performed 66,795 press-ups each and raised over £6,400, surpassing their original aim.
Jamieson said: “It’s been great knowing that we’re doing something helpful towards the pandemic response.
“Even though it’s a tiny thing in the grand scheme of things, and we have sore shoulders, it feels good!”
Kerry Huntington, fundraising director at CW+, added: “We’ve been amazed to see this epic year-long challenge unfold, and are so thankful for the support.
“This past year has been incredibly tough for our staff, and the efforts of locals like Dana and the team have been crucial to provide support for staff with supplies and equipment, as well as offering a boost for staff morale.”
The trio recalled the difficulties they faced throughout the challenge, as the required repetitions increased daily.
Ward joked: “I was doing some in my mother-in-law’s garden one day during the summer. She saw me on the floor and thought I’d fainted!”
Jamieson found it challenging to fit the press-ups in her schedule, as she juggles running a sustainable fashion business alongside raising two young daughters.
However, she said she was thrilled to see how the challenge had inspired others.
She added: “I’ve had so many messages from other women who’ve been inspired to set themselves a new challenge, or start press-ups!”
Although the push-up challenge has now finished, you can still donate here.
