Cardiff Met Archers Raise Over £6,000 in 24-Hour Basketball Fundraiser

Cardiff Met Archers Basketball completed their annual 24-hour with record success, raising over £6,000 for charity and bringing together more than 150 players from across the club and wider basketball community in a non-stop celebration of the sport. 

Held over the weekend of 17–18 May, the round-the-clock event saw participants take to the court in rotating shifts, with two teams competing continuously across the full 24 hours. Each team supported a different charity, with the final result seeing Team FND Hope edge out Team Youth Sport Trust (YST) by just 10 points after an incredible day and night of basketball. 

This year marked a milestone for the club, with junior members stepping up to lead the event for the first time. Under-16 player Ethan Benningwood and under-17 player Abigail Clifford were selected as captains and took ownership of the planning, organisation, and delivery of the event with the support of the basketball club. They also managed their sides and chose the causes they wanted to support. 

Ethan chose to raise money for the Youth Sport Trust, having been a member of the charity’s National Steering Group and part of the Young Ambassador programme in Wales. Abigail selected FND Hope in support of her father, who lives with Functional Neurological Disorder. 

Reflecting on the experience, Ethan said: "It was wonderful to see all age groups and the inclusivity of the event, which brought together our running, wheelchair, and additional learning needs groups. There were tough moments, especially in the early hours when everything in my body craved sleep, but the support from everyone involved kept us going. This was an incredible experience I’ll remember for a long time." 

The event was made possible thanks to generous support from British Gas, with a significant financial contribution from Centrica, their parent company. That support helped boost the fundraising total to over £6,000, with just over £3,000 donated to each charity. 

The success of the event also attracted attention from national broadcaster S4C, who captured footage from the day and interviewed both junior captains, including a Welsh-language interview that helped raise further awareness. 

Head of Basketball at Cardiff Met, Sarah Wagstaff said: “This event perfectly captures the spirit of the Archers family, inclusive, member-led, and community-driven. To see our junior members take the lead and deliver such a successful, meaningful event is a huge credit to them and everyone involved.” 

With conversations already underway around future sponsorship opportunities and a chance to raise even more money, the Archers are looking to build on the momentum for an even bigger event next season.