Hartlepool cheerleaders close in on fundraising target

The Hartlepool Hawks cheerleaders need £6,000 to compete in the national championships later this month.

But with £5,000 already raised, the signs are good - especially as there are plans for a marathon 12-hour cheerleading session to raise even more money.

Hawks founder Rebecca Taylor said: “We are doing great. We are £1,000 away from our target.”

Events which have already been held include a bingo night, sleepovers, open sessions, cake sales, bubble balls, and soup and fruit sales.

Next on the schedule is a charity cheer-a-thon which will be 12 hours of cheering on Saturday, March 12.

Rebecca, who is also the head coach and chair of the academy, added: “It will be held from 1pm until 1am and there will be more than 100 cheerleaders who will be cheering for 12 hours.

“We are also looking for sponsorships and donations from local business to help us reach our goal.”

A busy month is beckoning for the academy members.

They compete in the Future Cheer Regional Championships in Sheffield this Saturday, and the UK National Cheerleading Championships in Manchester on March 19.

The £6,000 is needed to send 10 selected teams to the British National Championships in Telford on March 26 and March 27.

Rebecca said: “All our teams are training extremely hard for all competitions and are also putting in a lot of hours and hard work to raise money to make it possible.”

The year got off to a flying start for the Hawks when they took part in the Legacy Cheer and Dance Stand Strong Regional Championships and won 33 trophies including 17 first places.

Anyone wanting more details on the Hawks, and those wanting to back the team, should visit the Hawks website HERE.