THANK YOU – we raised £21,800! The challenge below is completed – but we are working on #beerpush 2024 ! Watch this space!

Pushing 75kg, 147 miles in 9 days

David from Team Moon Gazer is taking on a big challenge in April 2022 to raise much needed awareness and funds for local cancer charity It’s On the Ball.

Named the Big Beer Push David will be pushing a barrel of Moon Gazer ale from the brewery in Hindringham, north Norfolk to the testicular cancer treatment unit at St. Barts Hospital, in London – and then on to the Houses of Parliament.

Zig zagging across the East Anglian countryside will be no easy task, as the combined weight of the beer, barrel and trolley is 75kg – about the same as David weighs. And when it comes to fences, stiles and walls there’s only one thing to do – lift the beer over.

Originally planned for 2020 but postponed due to the pandemic the beer push challenge will now take place over 9 days – starting from Moon Gazer Barn on Thursday 31st March and finishing in London on Friday 8th April.

Each day will be different but the distance will range from 10 miles to 22 miles.

You can check out the full route and zoom in here.

So, before we look at the route day by day– and how you can help or join in the fun, let’s just remind ourselves as to why David is doing this – aside from being a bit odd.

The hope is that the beers will get people talking – it’s more about raising awareness than anything else, what’s important is to get people chatting about the message which It’s On the Ball promotes – awareness of testicular cancer which you may be surprised to hear is actually the most common form of cancer among young men. So, as you see it may be a fun project, but it’s a serious message.

You see by getting people talking about testicular cancer we can spot symptoms early and 98% can be cured! So, if by pushing a blue barrel and chatting people we can get the talking and understanding this cancer and how to check then it’s got to be a good thing. Plus, we hope that everyone we tell will tell someone else and they will tell someone else and so it goes on.

As to how you can help, well the number one priority of the push is to make sure as many people get to know about the perils of testicular cancer but more importantly how it can be spotted and successfully treated. #beerpush is all about raising awareness and saving lives, but having a whole load of fun (hopefully) in the process.

How you get involved is down to your imagination:

• If you are a school, business or sport group on the route we can come and meet you.
• You could join us for part of the walk.
• Even a simple photo, retweet or like on social media using hash tags #beerpush #testicularcancer could save a life.
• You can donate here
• If you are a pub, community group, coffee shop we can pop in on the way or you can host a quiz night or event.
• Check out the route and if you are near it and think a quick visit could help then let us know – we are happy to chat to groups or get involved in any activities you think could help. We can visit, schools, colleges, pubs , breweries , sports groups etc etc…..
• If you have or know of accommodation which could put us up cheaply on the night that would be immense and mean we have more dosh for the charity.

Get in touch via info@moongazerale.co.uk

The route and planning is all done – thanks to the great efforts of Vince from It’s On The Ball.

I thought I would share it with you below as it may well be that you want to offer help or join in when we get going again. It will be fun.

The route take us 147 miles between Hindringham and St Barts, in London.

Please donate just £2 if you can ( that’s £1 per ball ) – on our Just Giving Page  So here we go, a quick summary of the route and where it will take us:

 

Day 1 – 31 March: Start 9am – Moon Gazer Brewery, NR21 0PW | Finish 5pm – Litcham High School, PE32 2NS | Evening – George and Dragon, Newton from 7pm

View the days route.  I will be breaking myself in gently with a 15.6 mile jaunt through North Norfolk. Setting off from Hindringham 8.30 am I will visit Fakenham, Hempton, Oxwick and Titteshall before arriving twixt Litcham and West Lexham.

 

Day 2 – 1 April: Start 9am – Litcham High School, PE32 2NS | Finish 4pm – Queens Hall, Watton, IP25 6DA | Evening – Ashill White Hart from 6.30pm

View the days route.  Another gentle 15.3 miles to build up stamina. Leaving Lexham/Litcham I will be heading off to Watton passing through Necton, the Pickenhams and Cressinghams before heading in to Watton.

 

Day 3 – 2 April: Start 8.30am – Queens Hall, Watton, IP25 6DA | Finish: 5pm – Ixworth Police Station, IP31 2HN | Evening – Pakenham Fox 5pm, Oakes Barn, Bury SE 7pm

View the days route.  Stepping it up we aim to push 55kg 20.4 miles today. Leaving Watton we head south in a straightish line through Thomson, Brettenham, Rushford before arriving in Ixworth for a well-earned rest.

 

Day 4 – 3 April: Start 8am – Ixworth Police Station, IP31 2HN | Finish: 6pm – The Bull Hotel, Long Melford,CO10 9JG | Evening – Nethergate Brewery Tap if in time!! If not pubs in Long Melford

View the days route.  No rest for the wicked this is a big push, and the biggest and hardest of the route with a near marathon distance of 22.4 miles. This is the day I am fearing the most. Departing Ixwoth with an early start to allow myself time to split the day up but heading thorough Bury Sty Edmunds where we have lots of friends, before heading down to Long Melford.

 

Day 5 – 4 April: Start 9.30am – The Bull Hotel, Long Melford, CO10 9JG | Finish – 4pm The Dorrington, Halstead CO9 1JD

View the days route.  After the distance of day 4 time to slow it down and take it easier – with a 12.3-mile trip down to Halstead via Sudbury, Middleton and plenty of hamlets and villages!

 

Day 6 – 5 April: Start 9.30am – The Dorrington, Halstead CO9 1JD | Finish – 4pm The Swan Inn, Felsted, CM6 3DG

View the days route.  Another easy day (relatively speaking) with a 13-mile push. Through Bocking Church Street, Braintree and Rayne finishing up in Felsted. By now we have travelled in 3 counties.

 

Day 7 – 6 April: Start 9.30am – The Swan Inn, Felsted, CM6 3DG | Finish – 4pm Black Bull Inn, Nr Ongar, CM5 0NN

View the days route.  Stepping it up a bit we need to cover 15.8 miles today. So, if you are anywhere near Margaret Roding, Beauchamp Roding, Pickerells, Fyfield come along for the fun as we head to Chipping Ongar for our overnight.

 

Day 8 – 7 April: Start 9.30am – Black Bull Inn, Nr Ongar, CM5 0NN | Finish – 4pm Goldings Church, IG10 2QX

View the days route.  The shortest day – just 10.1 miles today. Chipping Ongar to Loughton including a motorway to cross and heaps and heaps of places as we are now leaving the countryside for the Essex and Greater London area so loads of opportunities to spread the word.

 

Day 9 – 8 April: Start 8am – Goldings Church, IG10 2QX | Finish – 3pm St Barts Hospital, EC1A 7BE

View the days route.  Time to wash the hair, have a shave and spruce myself up as we head the 16.4 miles to meet the team at St Bart’s Hospital. For the record I may well become emotional at this point but a beer will sort me out!

 

Please donate £2 if you can
If after reading all of that you think you would like to donate £2 ( one for each ball ) then please feel free – you can do just that on our Just Giving Page