BURNHAM-ON-SEA Rugby Club is taking on a ‘run, row, walk or cycle 1,000km challenge’ to raise funds for the local hospital as the NHS battles the coronavirus pandemic.

The Stags enjoyed an outstanding 2019/20 season, achieving promotion back to Western Counties West, and now the players have set themselves one more objective.

Over the weekend of May 1-3 (tomorrow to Sunday) club members will be getting active - while adhering to social distancing guidelines, of course - with the aim of raising £1,000 for Burnham-on-Sea War Memorial Hospital.

Burnham RFC’s Tim Piper explained: “We have a few key workers as members of the club, and we are so grateful to them.

“As a club, we want to express our thanks to them. The players have come up with a challenge that can get young and old involved.

“We understand how much pressure and work our NHS has gone through and is still going through, so as a group we have decided we want to give back and help out by raising money for the Burnham-on-Sea War Memorial Hospital.

“We want to raise £1,000 by doing 1,000km. To do this we need everyone’s help.”

Participants should record their distance - minimum of 1km, or 5km for all players - and screenshot it, to comment beneath a post in the Burnham Rugby Club Facebook group, which will go up tomorrow morning.

The club will also set up a JustGiving page, for people to donate and help the club reach its target of £1,000.

Piper added: “We understand many people will still not want to go outside, which is totally fine, but we know many are keeping fit so we just ask that you record your totals for this cause.

“If staying at home then you can walk around your garden, or dust off that rowing machine and row until your arms ache.

“We pride ourselves on being a community club and we want to do what we can to help at this time.”

For full details and to get involved in the initiative, visit the club's Facebook page here.