With the current challenging times preventing both sport being played and the normal routine of socialising together, the sports teams and societies have concentrated their focus and energy into fundraising instead.
Sian Doherty, President of Sport at Hull University Students’ Union, said: “As a result of the restrictions on playing sport, we have all channelled our competitiveness into trying to fundraise more than each other.”
Hull University Netball Squad, for example, have attempted to walk or run 60km each over the month of November in aid of the 60 male lives lost to suicide worldwide every hour. Their total now stands at over 2,000km.
The University’s Movember webpage displays the grand total achieved collectively of over £20,000, but it also tracks the individual contributions of each sports team and society, and their members. At least five sports teams have raised over £1000 each, with Hull University Cricket Club leading the way with over £3,500 raised.
MA History student and member of Hull University Cricket Club, Samuel Mills, said: “Not only have we really enjoyed creating silly challenges to raise money, like dying each other’s hair pink, but it’s been encouraging to hear fellow men my age opening up about any struggles they may have been having.”