5in5 charity to hold fundraising events this weekend

The 5in5 charity will be fundraising this weekend with a series of events, which the charity will in turn donate to Cancer Relief Gibraltar and Cardiac Association Gibraltar.

Kicking off the weekend on Saturday at 11am at Victoria Stadium is the football tournament, which is organised by the GFA and boasts 14 teams.

Separately, three members of the Gibraltar national team, two from the men's squad and one from the women's, will be present as goalkeepers.

This gives aspiring footballers a chance to test their mettle against the Rock’s finest goalkeepers. The winners will be given the opportunity for a selfie with the keeper.

In addition to the above, there will a colossal dartboard which will challenge participants to showcase their ball-kicking accuracy.

For the youngsters, there will be bouncy castles and a mini ironman event complete with slip-and-slide for the swim, cycling and running session all suitable for the youngest competitors.

Not limiting the festivities to sports alone, stalls from the two charities will be set up where they will be distributing informative leaflets and offering merchandise such as 5in5 t-shirts.

Additionally, Café 54 will provide an assortment of food.

On Sunday, the fun changes from football to athletics with a 5km/3km fun run starting at 9.30am in Casemates.

Participants will embark on either a 3km walk or a 5km run. Directional posters and a strategically placed map will guide the way.

Charles Harrison from 5in5 said, importantly, the fun run isn't about achieving the fastest time or claiming the top spot.

Rather, it embodies a community spirit, encouraging the joy of participation.

“The motto is ‘For the Community, With the Community’,” he said.

There is a £5 minimum donation to take part in this event and, thanks to Sports City, the first 150 people registered will get a free event t-shirt.

To sign up for the fun run, either pop down to Sports City or click on the form on the 5in5 Facebook page or register on the day.

5in5 half ironman challenge
Later in May, Team 5 in 5 will take part in five ‘half ironmans’ over the course of five days.

A half ironman is 1.9km swim, 90km cycle and a 21.1km run.

Team 5 in 5 is comprised of Charles Harrison, Adrian Lopez and Kieron Alvarez, and the event promises to test the limits of their endurance.

The event runs from May 23 to 27, people are welcome to join in on any aspect of the challenge.

Starting at 6am on May 23, the 5 in 5 event will commence with a challenging 90km bike ride.

The route is subject to final confirmation from the authorities, but it is expected to start at the GSLA pool car park and cover approximately 25kms, with participants completing three to four laps.

As traffic increases over the morning, the last lap may be altered and the team are asking other road users to be courteous to them and be aware that it is a charity event.

Next will be the half marathon run of 21.1km, which is due to start at 10.30am from the GSLA pool car park.

Joining the team on this leg of the challenge is Charlotte Ward, who has travelled down from the UK, and Emma Foy, the president of local running club Carpe Diem.

Finally, the swim takes place at 1.30pm where the team will get in the water by the GSLA pools.

The itinerary will change on the last day, Saturday, with the swim taking place after the bike ride and the run will be the final element of the challenge.

Here, they will finish the run in John Mackintosh Square, in front of City Hall, where the mayor Christian Santos will be waiting to greet them.

The spirit of camaraderie and the desire to support the chosen charities have been the driving forces for the participants.

Mr Harrison is doing it for Cancer Relief Gibraltar who helped him and his family when his parents both had cancer, a battle they both sadly lost.

Mr Lopez’s brother is a cancer survivor and his father survived a heart attack, these are his reasons for taking part.

Mr Alvarez had a heart attack himself a number of years ago.

All three men appreciate what the two charities did for them and their families.

There will be a different theme over the five days.

On day one, it will be ‘In Memory of’, where those who have lost their battle with cancer or heart conditions will be honoured and remembered by the participants.

On the second day the theme is ‘essential services’, a day when many members of essential services will join the team and take part in the various events.

Day three’s theme is Hat Day and participants are encouraged to wear a hat.

‘Auction’ is the theme of the fourth day, with Mr Harrison auctioning off his beard to be shaved or dyed in any design the winning bid wants.

Mr Lopez is auctioning off a selfie with him “for your bedside locker” and Mr Alvarez a personal training session.

On the final day, the theme is ‘Mayor’s fun day’.

Everyone is determined to make this year's 5in5 event a resounding success, raising significant funds for the chosen charities and leaving a lasting impact on the community.

It is also possible to support the 5in5 team by buying their kit.

The tops are £15 and available now, the hoodie is £30 and available on pre order. To get a top, fill out this online form: https://forms.gle/4HLBmP6GLbreJbRb8

To follow 5in5’s latest information, check out their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/5in5Gib