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Sept
Harrogate rugby club members honour former player with 145-mile charity cycle
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Five members of Harrogate Pythons rugby club will be setting out on a 145-mile challenge in memory of a friend and former player this weekend.
Jonathan Wiggins and four other members the club will be cycling from Anfield football stadium in Liverpool to the Jim Saynor Ground at Station View, Harrogate, this Saturday and Sunday (September 6 and 7).
The team is raising funds and awareness for the Motor Neurone Diseases Association (MNDA) in memory of Mr Wiggins’ good friend and former member of Harrogate Pythons Rugby Club Eddie Kernoghan, who died this summer from motor neurone disease.
They achieved their goal of £4,500 on Wednesday (September 3) and the total currently stands at more than £5,200.
Mr Kernoghan played for Harrogate Pythons in 2005, when the team first formed, and later became a club member and a committee officer.
The team is called #EK12-#RB7 in memory of both Eddie Kernoghan and former Leeds Rhinos player Rob Burrow, who died of the disease in 2024. The name references the shirt numbers both players wore.
Joining Mr Wiggins are Dan Scott, Mike Ruthen, Tom Everingham and Kelly Grove, who are all members of Harrogate Pythons RUFC
Mr Wiggins told the Stray Ferret:
We found out in February that Eddie had been diagnosed with motor neurone disease, and unfortunately, he passed away in June.
Being a Leeds Rhinos fan, and with Rob Burrow who passed last year and a couple of friends whose family members had passed away from motor neurone disease, it got to me.
I thought I wanted to do something, and it was something we all wanted to do for Eddie.
We went and spoke to him a couple times after his diagnosis, so he knew what we were going to do, and he was fully supportive, as were his family.
The fundraiser stops off at several noteworthy locations including Wigan Warriors’ Brick Stadium at 12pm on Saturday, where the riders are hoping to see friends and supporters from the Lancashire branch of MNDA.
There will also be a stop at Leeds Rhinos’ Headingley Stadium at 2pm on Sunday 7, before the final stretch towards the Harrogate Pythons RUFC stadium for 6pm.
Harrogate Pythons Rugby Club held its charity tag rugby tournament in support of MNDA on July 12 and are hoping it will become a yearly event.
Mr Wiggins is also hoping to make his cycle challenge or a similar fundraiser an annual event.
Being a fan of rugby league whilst playing rugby union Mr Wiggins has very much enjoyed seeing the sport come together to raise awareness and funds for MNDA.
He told the Stray Ferret:
It’s been amazing and it has brought not just the sport together but the country, and I believe people are much more aware of it. As horrible a thing as it is, that’s good because it means it’s finally being brought into the light more.
To support Team #EK12-#RB7 click on the link below to donate.
https://www.justgiving.com/team/ek12-rb7?utm_medium=TE&utm_source=CL
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