Footballers from the University of Sheffield women’s team have raised £526 for the charity Young Lives Against Cancer with a sponsored keepy-uppy challenge.

Contestants paid £2 to the charity to enter the challenge and were tasked with completing as many keepy-ups as they could, with the winner and runner-up earning prizes. People also donated to their online Justgiving link in aid of the fundraiser.

The winner of the challenge, Polly Manley, completed an unbelievable 2,003 keepy-ups. Polly plays for the university’s football team (SUWFC) and is in her first year of studying at the University of Sheffield.

Polly said: “The charity emailed us and said they were running the challenge throughout April, so we based our fundraiser on their idea.

“We aimed to raise as much money as possible since its such an important charity. I think not many people know how many young people are diagnosed with cancer each year and the money we raised could fund treatments that may save lives. All the funds raised will help to support young people with cancer.”

SUWFC are sponsored by Bierkeller, a German Beer Hall in Sheffield which is popular with students. The venue sponsored the event, with the winner of the challenge earning a £50 bar tab and the runner up earning a £25 bar tab.

SUWFC have the venue as their front of shirt sponsor.

The fundraiser challenge took place outside the University of Sheffield’s Student’s Union, where SUWFC felt they would receive plenty of attention from fellow students.

Polly said: “In the future we will continue to raise as much money as possible for charities. For anyone wanting to raise money for charity I would advise them to get as many people involved as possible and to spread awareness as much as you can.”

Donate to SUWFC’s fundraiser here: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/keepyuppyvscancer360challenge