It all started in August with a throw away comment on Facebook by Jon Lamley…
‘If England knock off these 359 runs to win, I will do a parkrun just in my underpants and flip flops. In December.’
Needing 74 to win, Ben Stokes and Jack Leach achieved the impossible… A remarkable unbeaten 135* from Stokes and a 17 ball 1* from Leach helped England cross the line. A 1 wicket win for England to keep their Ashes hopes alive. The innings from Stokes has been described as one of the greatest of all time and now one that both Jon and his friend Mike McDonald will never, ever forget.
It wasn’t until the Rushcliffe Park Run on Saturday 7th December, that the pair, joined by 420 other normally clothed runners, followed through with the daring stunt, wearing (as promised) only pants, flips flops and a mask of their sporting hero (pictured).
Although it was cold, no rain fell and both gents completed the 5km route around Rushcliffe Country Park. The only real casualty were the feet of both boys, who’s flips flops had left nasty wounds.
What originally started as a small funding raising effort for Alzheimer’s Research of £359 (the amount of runs England needed to score back in August) was extended to £634 (equivalent to the highest attendance at Rushcliffe Park Run) when the original total was made with ease.
From here, Jon and Mike wouldn’t have believed the journey they have been on and a truly phenomenal total that still continues to rise today.
The fundraising total had skyrocketed to over £2,000 and this was not to be the end.
Interviews on various media platforms then progressed to a live appearance on national TV channel ITV on the Good Morning Britain programme with Piers Morgan, Susanna Reid and the man himself, Ben Stokes.
Later that evening, England cricket star Ben Stokes was soon to join in with the fund-raising efforts and offered to “Donate £1 to every retweet and like I get to this tweet in the next 30mins to @AlzResearchUK”
Within this 30-minute period, over 19,000 twitter users obliged, accumulating in a personal donation from Mr Stokes of a remarkable £19,127!
If you would like to donate to this amazing cause and join in with Jon and Mike’s fund-raising marathon, please visit:
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/jonandmikepantstoalzheimers.