CHERRIES boss Eddie Howe played his part as Julia’s House HIIT Squad raised in excess of £33,000 by completing a two-hour fundraising workout challenge.

The gruelling high intensity interval training ‘Insanity’ session was held on the outdoor space at Littledown’s BH Live Active in Bournemouth to help raise money for the children’s hospice charity.

The workout included a series of squats, push-ups and lunges with various local businesses putting forward a representative to compete, including Julia’s House CEO Martin Edwards.

After two months of intensive training, a few injuries and numerous 5am starts, the HIIT Squad, led by a team of instructors from BH Live, pushed their bodies to the extreme and completed their mammoth workout.

Asked how he found the challenge, Howe said: “Now it’s over, it was good! During it it was tough.

“It was really tough because you’re aware of the time and you know what you’ve got left.

“But everyone that did it and everyone that came out to watch, thanks so much and thanks to everyone that gave money. It really means a lot.”

Alongside Howe and Edwards, representatives from companies such as TeamJobs, JWA Consulting, Rockets & Rascals, Superior and Dynamic Health also took part on the day.

“When we started this appeal in January we were looking to raise enough money to fund two Julia’s House nurses. That seemed a big ask but with the spread of COVID-19, the appeal is now much bigger,” said Edwards.

“We are still visiting families in their homes and offering a lifeline of care to hugely vulnerable children, when they may otherwise be isolated from the outside world and we will continue to do so for as long as we possibly can.

“At the same time, we are having to postpone and cancel some of our flagship fundraising events.

“We’re almost 100 per cent publicly funded and we estimate this is going to take £1million of our income this year.

“We know these are difficult times and everyone is worried, but we so need people to support the HIIT Squad.

“Our families often don’t have anyone other than Julia’s House to turn to, so people giving will help us ensure we can carry on supporting the children in our community who need us the most.”

Julia’s House is dedicated to the care of children with life-limiting conditions in Dorset and Wiltshire.

The charity can only continue its vital service thanks to public donations, fundraising and gifts in wills.

BH Live is hoping to hold its own HIIT Squad marathon at Littledown on Wednesday 16 September, subject to the COVID-19 status.

Anyone looking to add to the £33,000 raised by the HIIT Squad can do so at justgiving.com/fundraising/JHHIITSQUAD