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Fifty years on from England’s one and only World Cup win, teenage fundraiser Jonjo Heuermann led a new team of heroes at Wembley Stadium.
The Wilmington youngster channelled his idol Bobby Moore as he arrived at the home of football to a warm welcome after a gruelling 450 mile cycle from Borussia Dortmund’s Westfalonstadion in west Germany.
He was joined at Wembley by 11 other children dressed the replica 1966 England kit, each representing a member of Alf Ramsey’s iconic squad and carrying a posy of flowers in the name of a relative they had lost to cancer.
They also read out the names of 170 loved ones lost to cancer and laid a floral tribute in the shape of the Jules Rimet trophy at the stadium’s Bobby Moore statue.
“This challenge has been really difficult and tiring but I hope it has raised lots of awareness and funds for Cancer Research UK so that other families don’t have to experience cancer in the way that my family did,” said Jonjo.
“It is great to be raising money and awareness for the Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK.”
The 14 year old has raised more than £230,000 since losing his Nan Lyn to bowel cancer in 2009, the same disease that claimed his football hero Sir Bobby.
It is hoped that his first international challenge will see him raise a further £30,000.
Jonjo set off from Dortmund on Friday April 1, where he was handed a replica shirt signed by the football club’s exciting young squad.
By the following day he and his team had reached Holland, before eventually jumping on a ferry to Harwich.
He then pedaled through Colchester, Chelmsford and Barking – finishing in Fulham, where he walked the last six miles to England’s national stadium.
His mum Donna said: “There have been times when Jonjo has struggled on this journey but he has been picked up again by his amazing support team.
“I hope that one day he achieves his goal of finding a cure for cancer and I hope his determination pays off soon”.
Stephanie Moore, founder of the Bobby Moore Fund, was similarly proud of Jonjo’s efforts.
“Jonjo has shown enormous drive and determination to complete this ambitious challenge,” she said.
“He has given up his entire school holiday and faced some real challenges getting through a very physically-demanding 10 days.
“He is passionate about raising money for the Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK and I cannot thank him enough for his dedication. Every mile he covered raised both money and awareness about bowel cancer and that will help save lives.”
Jonjo’s cycle was the latest in a long line of football centric fundraising efforts, which has seen him become the youngest person to receive the British Empire Medal and be named Volunteer of the Year at the Kent Charity Awards.
In 2014 the passionate West Ham fan dribbled a football from Southend to West Ham’s Upton Park ground over five days and a 50-mile distance.
“He is passionate about raising money for the Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK and I cannot thank him enough for his dedication. Every mile he covered raised both money and awareness about bowel cancer and that will help save lives.” Stephanie Moore.
The following year he cycled 700 miles to visit Premier League football clubs up and down the country before returning to London for a 50-mile walk to each of the division’s capital clubs.
Jonjo has three other major fundraising events planned for later this year, includinga 32-nation junior world cup, a world cup banquet and a charity dog walk.
The junior world cup takes place at Wembley’s Power League Soccer Centre on June 25 and June 26 and the banquet takes place at the Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington on September 24.
The Moore Paws charity dog walk on May 24 will be at Weald Country Park in Brentwood, Essex, and will echo the hunt for the stolen Jules Rimet trophy found in a garden in south London by a dog called Pickles.
You can donate to Jonjo at justgiving.com/fornannyandbobby or text CAPT66 followed by the amount you wish to give to 70070.