Players and families from Chesterton Football Club are taking on a 2,026-mile virtual running challenge to raise money for Christmas gifts for children affected by cancer and support The Hummingbird Centre near Bicester.
At a glance
| Challenge | Lapland Express 2026 |
| Who is taking part? | Chesterton FC Veterans and Under 10s players, families and supporters |
| Target distance | 2,026 miles, the equivalent of running from Chesterton to Santa’s Village in Lapland |
| Started | 1 July 2026 |
| Cause | Christmas gifts for children affected by cancer and support for The Hummingbird Centre |
| Charity supported | The Hummingbird Centre, a cancer support and therapy centre in Launton, near Bicester |
| Donate | Chesterton FC Lapland Express 2026 fundraiser |
It may only be summer, but members of Chesterton Football Club already have Christmas firmly in mind.
The club’s Veterans and Under 10s teams are taking part in a major virtual running challenge, aiming to cover 2,026 miles, the equivalent distance from Chesterton to Santa’s Village in Lapland.
The challenge, launched on 1 July, is raising money to buy Christmas presents for children affected by cancer and to support The Hummingbird Centre, the cancer support charity based in Launton, near Bicester.
For the club, the fundraiser is deeply personal. It has been inspired by eight-year-old Ethan Foster, who was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2022 when he was four.
Ethan’s story inspires the challenge
Ethan underwent treatment for more than two years, until November 2024, and is now in remission, although he still lives with some side-effects.
During one of the most difficult periods for the family, Ethan, his parents and siblings found support at The Hummingbird Centre.
His mum, Sophie, said: “I was so nervous to step through those doors and sat in the car for a long time.
“I was in a world I didn’t want to be in. When I plucked up the courage to walk in, I was welcomed through those doors. Everyone understood. It was our saving grace.”
The family used the centre’s children’s service, as well as complementary therapies and counselling.
Sophie said: “Ethan hit it off with Kelly who manages the children’s centre, and he met children going through the same thing, or whose families were going through it too.
“They understood him. He felt normal when he hadn’t felt normal, especially when he went back to school.”
She added: “It’s our saving grace and still is now.”
A family and football club effort
Ethan’s brother Freddie, aged nine, who plays for Chesterton’s Under 10s team, will take part in the challenge.
He will be joined by mum Sophie, dad Lee, brother Oscar, 12, and sister Imogen, five, alongside Chesterton FC players and supporters.
There is no requirement for participants to run every day. The aim is for everyone to contribute miles when they can, gradually working together towards the 2,026-mile target over the summer.
Team manager Graham Berry, who organised the challenge, said Ethan’s experience had given the fundraiser its purpose.
He said: “Seeing firsthand the impact that community support has had on Ethan’s journey is the ultimate driving force behind this event; we want to pay that kindness forward to other families walking the same difficult path.
“I also have an ulterior motive and that’s to keep them fit over the summer, so for me it’s win win.”
Not the club’s first virtual running challenge
This is the second major virtual running challenge organised by Graham for the club.
In November 2020, Chesterton players ran a combined 1,001 miles, the equivalent of travelling from Bicester to Barcelona, in three weeks.
That challenge raised almost £5,000 for Cancer Research UK in memory of Graham’s late father-in-law, Phil Alexander.
The new Lapland challenge has a different destination but the same community spirit: bringing players, parents and local supporters together around a cause close to home.
How the money will help The Hummingbird Centre
The Hummingbird Centre supports people affected by cancer and their families across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire.
Its services include a dedicated children’s service, counselling, complementary therapies and activities designed to provide practical and emotional support.
The centre opened in 2014 after founder Mechelle Harris made a promise to her late father, Raymond Hurcombe, to create something positive from the family’s loss.
The charity says it relies on donations and volunteers to operate, with money raised going back into the centre and its services.
Mechelle Harris, founder and chief executive of The Hummingbird Centre, said: “We are so grateful to Chesterton Football Club for taking on this challenge in support of The Hummingbird Centre.
“Ethan’s journey shows exactly why our services matter, providing a place where children and families affected by cancer can find support, friendship and a sense of normality during an incredibly difficult time.
“We wish everyone taking part the very best of luck in their 2,026-mile journey and thank the whole community for getting behind this amazing fundraiser.”
Why Christmas is the focus
The challenge may be taking place in summer, but its fundraising goal is built around Christmas.
Chesterton FC hopes to raise enough money to buy gifts for children supported by The Hummingbird Centre, giving families a moment of comfort and joy during what can be an extremely difficult time.
The fundraiser will also help support the centre’s wider work, including therapy sessions, family support and services that help children feel less isolated during or after a cancer diagnosis in the family.
For Ethan’s family, that sense of being understood was one of the most important parts of the support they received.
How to support the challenge
People can support the Lapland Express 2026 challenge by donating through the club’s GoFundMe page.
The campaign is also asking supporters to share the fundraiser and help raise awareness of The Hummingbird Centre’s work.
Donations can be made at gofund.me/16b142bb2.
About The Hummingbird Centre
| Where | Grange Courtyard, Station Road, Launton, Bicester, OX26 5DX |
| Who it supports | People affected by cancer and their families |
| Services | Children’s support, counselling, complementary therapies, workshops, activities and emotional support |
| Opening times | Tuesday to Thursday, 10am to 4pm; Friday, 10am to 3.30pm, according to the centre’s website |
| Contact | info@thehummingbirdcentre.org.uk or 01869 244244 |
| Website | thehummingbirdcentre.org.uk |
FAQs
What is the Lapland Express 2026 challenge?
Lapland Express 2026 is a virtual running challenge by Chesterton FC members and supporters, who are aiming to cover 2,026 miles, the equivalent of running from Chesterton to Santa’s Village in Lapland.
Who is taking part?
Members of Chesterton FC’s Veterans and Under 10s teams are taking part, alongside families and supporters.
Why is Chesterton FC doing the challenge?
The challenge is inspired by eight-year-old Ethan Foster, who was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2022 and whose family received support from The Hummingbird Centre.
What will the money be used for?
The money will help buy Christmas gifts for children affected by cancer and support the wider work of The Hummingbird Centre.
What does The Hummingbird Centre do?
The Hummingbird Centre is a cancer support and therapy centre near Bicester. It offers services including children’s support, counselling, complementary therapies, workshops and emotional support for people affected by cancer and their families.
Where is The Hummingbird Centre?
The centre is at Grange Courtyard, Station Road, Launton, Bicester, OX26 5DX.
How can people donate?
People can donate through the Lapland Express 2026 GoFundMe page.
