The annual Three Bunkers golf challenge has kicked off its 2025 appeal by focusing on how funds raised will help local beneficiaries.
Now in its 5th year and already having raised nearly £50k, The Three Bunkers Challenge involves 24 golfers playing 27 holes within 10 hours at courses in Derby, Leicester & Nottingham. All money raised goes to local charity Big C Little c which supports cancer research and children at risk.
This year, a major beneficiary will be the Children’s Brain Tumour Research Centre (CBTRC) which is based at The University of Nottingham, conducting pioneering, internationally recognised research aimed at improving the lives of young people like James Kerry.
Until 2024, eight year old James from Nottingham was leading a healthy and active lifestyle doing kick boxing and playing football. Following weeks of severe bouts of sickness and headaches, James was diagnosed with a brain tumour that had also spread to his spine.
Showing incredible bravery and determination, James learned to walk again and started his own fund raising activities for CBTRC and has so far raised £32,000 from selling bracelets he makes himself and a sponsored walk around the Nottingham Forest City Ground pitch.
Spurred on by his grandson’s bravery, Dave Chapman from MAF Finance Group, a previous participant in the Three Bunkers challenge, approached the Three Bunkers organisers to see if there was a way to support CBTRC.
Challenge organiser Elliot Cook, from Simple Marketing Consultancy, said: “Big C Little c was founded to support cancer research and children, so it made absolute sense to nominate CBTRC as one of the beneficiaries in 2025.
“We’ve committed to hold the challenge until £100,000 has been raised for Big C Little c to help them support local cancer research projects and initiatives that help young people.’’
This year’s Three Bunkers Challenge takes place on Friday 23 May 2025 and involves teams from Actons Solicitors, Fiscal Engineers, Finance for Enterprise, MAF Finance Group, Michael Reed Wealth Management, Shakespeare Martineau Solicitors, and Simple Marketing Consultancy.
All money raised will be donated to the charity Big C Little c which was founded in 2019 by business entrepreneurs, Andrew Springhall and Colin Shaw, former chairman of PKF Cooper Parry, who joined forces to create a charity that would encourage East Midlands businesses to organise events to raise money for cancer research, the NSPCC and other children related charities.
Every year over 450 children are diagnosed with a brain tumour. A huge range of research is carried out at the CBTRC, looking into as many aspects of child brain tumours as possible. It’s aim is to find a cure for all child brain tumours and to reduce the disability caused by them.
Although the Centre’s research is progressing, it needs more funding to make the most of the scientific knowledge that is being uncovered in order to save more lives.
Andrew Springhall, from Big C Little c, added: “More often than not cancer treatment has worse side effects than the initial symptoms and institutions like CBTRC are doing an incredible job researching treatments that are more targeted on the cancer tumours which ultimately means patients enjoy a better outcome.
“We sincerely hope the money raised will progress cancer research and help children at risk.”
Players will commence the Challenge at 7am at Morley Hayes Golf Club, players then travel to Charnwood Forest Golf Club and conclude at The Nottinghamshire Golf & Country Club, reaching three corners of the East Midlands Counties of Nottingham, Derby & Leicestershire, covering just over 70 miles.
The organisers also welcome support via online donations or gifting prizes which can be auctioned during the prize presentation. So far fourballs from Chevin Golf Club, Charnwood Forest & The Nottinghamshire have been gifted.
