Knights captain Craig has a gruelling day in store

Former Melrose centre Craig Jackson, now captain of the semi-pro Super 6 Borders outfit, Southern Knights, is taking part in a 12-hour test this Sunday to gather funds for Mind, the mental health charity, and NHS charities.

The action will be confined to Craig’s back garden in Melrose. He has devised a routine to mirror a standard 12-hour shift pattern, which he reckoned many NHS staff may be working in their front-line battle to combat coronavirus.

“I have set myself a 12km challenge, consisting of a 3km row, 4km run and a 5km cycle, which I will complete every hour on the hour in my garden, for the 12 hours of the shift,” said Craig (28) on his Facebook page.

Practice has been continuing in the build-up to the big day and Craig has reportedly raised over £1100 already.

While much appreciation has already been shown to NHS workers, he felt they still deserved more credit and that people could probably do even more to help them.

COVID-19’s impact had been massive, he said, and NHS employees, like everyone, were in an unprecedented situation. Yet, they were right at the front of trying to deal with a unique crisis.

Many people’s lives had been affected in various ways by the guidance and regulations to fight the spread of the virus but it was “nothing compared to what they (NHS staff) are being put through”.

On Facebook, he added: “How about playing your part by donating a little to try and drag me through what seemed like a good idea after one beer last night but from which I can’t back down now?”

Craig hoped to stream his venture live on Instagram and Zoom, while details on how to contribute are available on his Facebook page and his Twitter feed @crjacko12