Two members of Burnham-On-Sea’s Avenue Tennis Club have completed an extraordinary 24-hour running challenge in support of Breast Cancer Now, raising nearly £1,500 for the charity.
Megan Rundle, Ladies First Team player and coach at the club, and her friend Flo Baxter took on the ambitious feat from 24th to 25th October, running around Flo’s home village of Hook in Hampshire with the aim of covering two full marathons — a total of 52.4 miles.
The pair not only met their goal in 20 hours and 39 minutes, but went on to complete a staggering 56.6 miles and 93,292 steps by the end of the 24 hours.
They chose to support Breast Cancer Now due to the widespread impact of the disease, which affects one woman every 10 minutes in the UK and also affects hundreds of men each year. The charity provides vital support and funds life-saving research.
As of 26th October, Megan and Flo had raised £1,499. Donations can still be made via their JustGiving pages at www.justgiving.com/page/megan-rundle and www.justgiving.com/page/flo-baxter.
The club’s social calendar continues with a Halloween Party on Saturday 1st November from 7 to 11pm, featuring a spooky clubhouse makeover, a meal of chicken paprika and apple crumble, and dancing.
Tickets are £12.50, payable in cash on the night. Food orders must be placed by Thursday 30th October via the clubhouse or by emailing diannekilmartin@outlook.com.
The next Wednesday Supper Night is on 5th November, offering lasagne with salad and garlic bread, plus puddings and cheese and biscuits. Cost is £13.50, payable in cash. Sign up by Sunday 2nd November in the clubhouse or contact sjhyde27@hotmail.com or Josie on 07919 116912.
Club Captain Sam Goodhew leads Pickleball sessions on Wednesday evenings and Saturday afternoons — a fast-growing sport played on a shortened tennis court with all equipment provided.
Coaching sessions for juniors and adults run throughout the week, including Cardio Tennis with Head Coach Tim Seymour on Monday mornings and Thursday evenings. Tim also offers Parent & Tots sessions for children aged two and a half to four years on Thursdays at 1:45pm. Details and bookings are available at www.tennis-extreme.com.
The club’s internal tournament is underway, with round robin matches across age groups, overseen by referee Pippa Lawton. Results will be shared once all matches are complete.
Friday nights are family nights, featuring social tennis, adult coaching, and Vinny’s Minis — fun tennis sessions for children. On Friday 31st October, a special Halloween Mini Tennis session will run from 6:30 to 8:00pm, allowing children to enjoy trick-or-treating before joining the fun in fancy dress. For more information on membership and activities, visit www.avenuetennis.com.
