Wigan residents urged to take up Joining Jack's new sporting challenge

Joining Jack had to postpone last month’s Run Wigan Festival and cancel other fund-raising events due to guidelines put in place to stop the spread of the illness.

But that means its income has been hit, affecting its ability to fund research, clinical trials and medical staff that help to develop treatments for children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, like 12-year-old Jack Johnson, the inspiration behind the charity.

Staff at the Wigan-based charity, which was founded by former Warriors star Andy Johnson and his wife Alex, were also placed on furlough on Thursday.

A spokesman said: “It is a huge blow for us. The work we do gives us hope and a purpose. It’s devastating to see our hard work being undone because of something that is out of our control.

"This isn’t just affecting our family but thousands of other families living with Duchenne that we try to help and support.”

The team at Joining Jack is asking people to show their support by getting moving and getting fit during the lockdown.

They have joined forces with the national 2.6 Challenge, where organisers of mass participation events across the country are urging people to get active and raise much-needed funds for charities.

It will launch on Sunday, April 26, the original date for the London marathon, and people are asked to do something around the numbers 2.6 or 26.

Joining Jack suggests activities could include running 26 laps of your garden, completing 26 passes with a rugby ball, running up and down stairs 26 times, tossing 26 pancakes in the kitchen or even walking 26.2 miles around your house.

Participants can fund-raise by setting up a Virgin Money page online and are encouraged to share stories and pictures on Joining Jack’s social media channels using hashtag #twopointsixchallenge.

Leading the way will be Jack Johnson and his brother James, who will push him 2.6 miles.

They will choose their favourite challenge and present prizes to the winner, as well as three runners-up.

The fourth annual Run Wigan Festival was cancelled last month due to the outbreak, but will now be held on the weekend on September 5 and 6, alongside the Wigan 10k. Sign up at runwiganfestivals.co.uk or wigan10k.co.uk.

Registration for the Wigan Bike Ride, due to be held in July, remains suspended for now.