University of Bedfordshire footballers are raising money for the NHS ©UoB

The University of Bedfordshire's (UoB) football team is raising money for the United Kingdom's National Health Service (NHS) by running the distance to Croatia and back.

It was planned that the squad would tour Pula in Croatia in the summer but this was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Thirty-eight past and present members of the men's football team at the university organised the run for NHS Charities Together.

To date, the team has raised more than £3,000 ($3,700/€3,400) with a month left until the end of their fundraising efforts.

The distance to cover is 2,302 miles and those involved in the event include President Lewis Burgess, vice president Cory McDade, team captains Kyle Jay, Dom Palmieri and Matt Wheatley, social secretary Harry Poole and treasurer Tom Davies.






View this post on Instagram









DAY 8 Day 8 and a start of a new week for the boys from Bedfordshire. A solid start to week 2, good efforts from everyone involved?? ———————————————————————— Today we have covered 133 miles with 29 runners involved. Back to normality, the boys smashing the 100 mile mark yet again?? ———————————————————————— We started our eighth day of the journey in Kolbermoor, Germany?? The 133 mile trip took us through Germany, finishing up in Trebesing, Austria?? 219 miles away from Croatia, we estimate we will arrive in 2 days time?? ———————————————————————— At the end of today the just giving page shows us raising a total of £3207, £43 off of our next target of £3250? ———————————————————————— You may have seen that we also appeared live on BBC Three Counties Radio again to give them an update of how we were getting on in the journey? ———————————————————————— Keep up to date with tomorrows runs and walks on the story and the update later in the evening ? Link for just giving page is in the bio Stay safe Bulls❤️x

A post shared by Bedford (@bulls_run2croatia) on


Their runs will be added to a total from homes across the UK with players originally coming from regions such as Cornwall and Essex.

A core group will also all be individually running around Priory Park in Bedford.

McDade said they wanted to back the work of those in the NHS with many knowing family members who work for the organisation.

He said: "A few of the players have family working in the NHS and know first-hand the excellent work they are doing.

"As a Committee we thought it would be a great idea try and raise some money.

"Each day we continue to be astounded by people's generosity to donate despite what we're all going through at the moment."