Sons of Anxiety Strength Club host stone throwing challenge for suicide charity

Sons of Anxiety Strength Club, led by Dan Fish and Rolonde Bradshaw, host regular Strongman events that bring people together, connecting through competition.

Dan Fish (Image: Social media)

And on Sunday, October 2, at CrossFit Clitheroe, they are holding a huge challenge for local charity, BAGS for Strife – which was set up by people who have lost loved ones to suicide.

The event will be a ‘stone over yoke’ challenge, with the aim to throw a 100kg atlas stone over the 46in high ‘yoke’ bar, one thousand times.

Rolonde, left and Dan, right (Image: Social media)

Unlike previous challenges, which have been heavily competitive, this event will be a team effort and won’t finish until all 1,000 reps are complete – with participants aiming to have thrown their 1,000th stone by midnight on Sunday.

Rolande Bradshaw (Image: Social media)

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Dan said: “It's a sad fact that many of us have been touched in some way by suicide.

“The fallout from losing someone in such devastating circumstances can be extremely difficult to deal with.

"It is for this reason, amongst many others, that we're hosting our latest fundraising event and working closely with Bags for Strife.

Sons of Anarchy Strength Club event (Image: Social media)

“Bags for Strife are a local charity extremely close to many of us in and around the CrossFit Unit and our community.

Participant, Danny Scott (Image: Social media)

"Absolutely nothing prepares you for loss by suicide. For all of us who set up the charity, it’s so important to do something in honour and in memory of those we lost, and we can only hope through our own experience, we can offer some support through the darkest of days.

“For me personally, this event is a tribute to my cousin, Stew Taylor.”

Participant, Hayley Shirliker (Image: Social media)

The savage challenge will hope to raise as much money as possible for Bags for Strife, and to be as inclusive as possible, multiples of lower denomination atlas stones that make up the same numbers in total can also be thrown, e.g. 50kgs.

One hundred per cent of any sponsorship, donations, and money from entry fees to the event, will go to the charity, with Dan asking anyone who participates to raise a minimum of £100 each.

Budding strongwoman Summer Schofield (Image: Council)

Dan continued: “If anyone is not aiming to lift the 100kg stone, they should let us know the stone they want to use and raise sponsorship to the tune of that amount; £1 per kilo (i.e 80kg stone for 100 reps, raise minimum £80 sponsorship).

“Or, on the day if people want to join in for a few reps they can pay £2 per rep to help us reach the total.

“The idea will be that each main athlete taking part attempts 10 reps of their chosen stone before tagging-in the next athlete.

"This will go on for several rounds until we surpass 1,000 reps of 100kg, using all of the weight lifted to make up the total.

“Whichever way people choose to help us make the 1,000 will do just fine (of course we're not going to discourage a healthy competition whilst we're at it).”

Andrea Seed, participant (Image: Social media)

Anyone wanting to register for the event is asked to head to the event discussion wall on the Facebook group, drop Sons of Anxiety Strength Club a message on social media, and share the event far and wide.

Entrants can set up their own Fundraising page (GoFundMe, JustGiving etc) to build their £100 entry fee with money being transferred to Sons of Anxiety Strength Club before the main event.

John Rawlinson, participant (Image: Social media)

Dan added: “Please get involved however you're able, we're going to need helpers on the day too - and if anyone wants in to sponsor banners, shirts, etc, drop us a message

“The gym may take cash sales on the day of refreshments and merch which will go back into the gym to cover costs.”