Banbury CrossFit group raises almost £600 for epilepsy charity with demanding team challenge

The group challenged themselves to take on the Purple Heart workout alongside Hull’s Graft House Gym to raise money and awareness for International Epilepsy Awareness Day.

As part of the challenge, both gyms would complete the demanding challenge against each other, with one gym declared the winner at the end.

The Purple Heart challenge is a workout routine that sees participants form pairs and take on 120 deadlifts, 120 box jumps, 120 wall ball throws and 120 dumbbell snatches in the shortest time possible.

CrossFit Banbury was decided the winning gym, with three pairs from Banbury all finishing on the podium following a morning of close competition.

CrossFit Banbury member Ross Pemberton came up with the idea of taking on the challenge to raise money and awareness.

Ross has lived with epilepsy since childhood and says that he has found not just a rewarding training programme at Banbury CrossFit but also a supportive community and friends.

After the event he said: “It was very demanding. Altogether, across ourselves and the Grafthouse Gym, 40 pairs took part.

“Which was more than I ever expected, and £600 was more than I expected to raise, given that I had only had two weeks to organise it.”

CrossFit Banbury aims to grow the competition each year and hopes that more gyms will join them virtually in the future so that more money can be raised.

For more info about CrossFit Banbury, visit: https://www.crossfitbanbury.fit/