Chesterfield trio clock up 14,000 miles and £20,500 in a decade of fundraising for children's hospice

Since 2013, Nicola Yeomans, twin sister Alison West and pal Joanne Clarkson, known as the Purple Shooting Stars, have raised over £20,500.

They have clocked up over 14,000 miles - and got through 60 pairs of running shoes in the process.

It’s all to support Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice, which gives care and support to children and young adults with life-shortening and life-threatening conditions.

“I can’t believe that 10 years have gone by and how much we’ve raised,” said Nikki, 44, of Heath. “Each year we set a goal of £1,000 but doubled it every time, thanks to the amazing people who sponsor us. We never intended to do it for so long but when we got the fundraising bug, it never left us.

“Setting ourselves yearly challenges is now a fact of life and we hope we can do another ten years. It will always be for Bluebell Wood, though. We would never want to fundraise for any other charity,” added Chesterfield Borough Council benefits officer Nikki, who set the ball rolling when she decided to tackle the Great North Run.

The council had chosen the hospice as its 2013 Charity of The Year and after nothing more strenuous than a 5K, she signed up for the GNR with a workmate.

Nikki enjoyed it so much, she and sister Alison, a school dinner lady, completed the Chesterfield Half Marathon for the hospice.

They linked up with mum of two Jo, from Duckmanton, and formed the Purple Shooting Stars running group, named after the hospice’s purple logo.

“It was a very emotional experience for us and when we discovered the hospice has to raise £5.1M just to open its doors every year, it made us want to do more and more,” said Nikki.

Last year, to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, Nicola, mum of three Alison and mum of two Joanne ran the equivalent of 70 half-marathons - and found the energy for a sponsored canal boat pull along the Worksop Canal. As they have done most years, they also staged fundraising fashion shows, raffles, coffee mornings and Christmas stalls and the total raised was £2223.46.

This year in addition to a number of 5K and 10K runs, the Worskop half marathon and a fashion show in May, they will be taking part in the official Virtual London Marathon on April 23.

“We will run and walk 26 miles from Nikki’s home in Heath to the hospice in North Anston,” said Alison, of Holmewood, who is now training as a teaching assistant. “We hope to make it a big event to celebrate our 10th Bluebell Wood anniversary. We are now plotting the route and will be asking people to join us for as much as they can manage.”

Jo, 41, a special needs teacher and an area manager for SSSEN Chesterfield added: “Running outdoors and achieving the goals we set ourselves has been great for our mental wellbeing. And we are slimmer, stronger and fitter, too!”

Find out more about the women’s Virtual London Marathon event here www.justgiving.com/page/al-nic-jo-stars2023