Bristol Bears academy transition coach Glen Townson ran 44 miles from Ashton Gate to the Principality Stadium in Cardiff to deliver a match-day ball.
It took Glen just over nine hours to complete the ultra-marathon challenge. So far, he’s raised over £10,000 for the Amber Townson Foundation, set up in memory of his two-year-old daughter, who died in August 2023. The foundation’s mission is to raise awareness of Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) support affected families and fund critical research.
The West Country derby in Cardiff saw Bristol Bears beat Bath 36 -14. Bristol Bears has been behind Glen all the way. As well as raising awareness of SUDC on the day, team players wore specially designed Amber Townson Foundation shirts encouraging spectators to donate.
It was a symbolic journey of hope and remembrance. Glen said: “This was a deeply personal mission to honour my daughter’s memory and prevent other families from experiencing the same heartbreak we have. SUDC remains the fourth leading cause of death for 1-4 year olds in the UK but research and understanding is very limited. We want to change this.
“I had incredible support from my friends on the run. We’ve been training for months and they really kept me going! It was tough, especially the last eight miles, but we’ve raised awareness of SUDC and lots of money in the process, so it was all worth it!
“We were given such a warm welcome when we got to the stadium. People lined the street, and the Bristol Bears team gave us a guard of honour, which was very special. To have the backing and support of Bristol Bears has meant so much to my family and me. The Big Day Out has helped fund vital research into SUDC and provide bereavement counselling and support for affected families.”
Tom Tainton, chief operating officer of Bristol Bears rugby club, said: “When Glen approached us for help with this challenge, the obvious answer was yes. We know what he and his family have been through, and are still going through, and we just wanted to support one of our own and bring together the local sporting community for this special cause. They got a rapturous reception as they arrived at the Principality Stadium on the day!”
Donations can still be made via the website www.theambertownson.foundation. You can donate £5 by texting AMBER to 70460 or contribute via the JustGiving link: https://www.justgiving.com/theambertownson-foundation
The Foundation is taking part in the Tesco blue token scheme at Golden Hill until the end of June to help raise money for a new community defibrillator.