Four young friends from County Down have used their shared love of sport to raise an incredible sum of money for people with cancer.
Ben Law, Daniel Irvine and cousins Jack and Callum Duncan have raised over £14,000 so far as part of the Macmillan Longest Day Golf Challenge.
Calling themselves 'The Bogeymen', they completed their challenge on June 8 and are currently the most successful fundraising team in the UK this year in the charity event.
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The fantastic four met while playing for Bangor Hockey Club as juniors and have all since graduated to the successful senior 1st XI, which was recently promoted to the Irish League.
All four boys have represented Ulster at Hockey, with Ben and Jack having also played for Ireland.
Now 17 and celebrating the end of their AS level exams, the sporting friends decided to hold a Longest Day Golf Challenge to raise vital funds to help support people with cancer.
Unfortunately, all the young friends have a shared experience of the impact a cancer diagnosis can have.
Ben’s Mum Cathy was diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2021, and his grandfather with bowel cancer just last year. Daniel has lost three grandparents to the disease.
Speaking for the team, Ben said: “It’s been really exciting putting the plans in place for this event. We’ve been team-mates and best friends for years and working together on this not only gave us an opportunity to help others, but also something to look forward to through the last few months of exam stress and the panic of last-minute revision.
“Our families have all been through a lot in recent years, and as best friends we’ve all seen and felt first-hand what a cancer diagnosis can mean, and the support Macmillan can offer. In some shape or form Macmillan nurses have been amazing, and their care and compassion has made a huge difference for our families and our loved ones.
“That is why we wanted to give something back. We thought our all-day golf event would be a positive thing to help support people going through cancer and the people close to us.
"It was a matter of taking a sport we love and having fun together while using it for a really good cause. It’s also been a great way to shake off the exam stress.
“Having started with a target of £1,000, we cannot believe we are now reaching almost £14,000 and still counting! We can’t thank the people and the golf clubs who have supported us enough. Everyone involved has helped make this such a fantastic day.”
Ben’s Mum Cathy added: “As parents, we are so incredibly proud of our boys and all that they are doing. We had no idea they were planning this until it was launched, and we have been so impressed by their commitment and hard work.
“A cancer diagnosis is one of the hardest things to face but the support of family, friends and charities such as Macmillan provides an incredible strength at a time when you really need it.
“Telling my children was the hardest part, and I know it is not an easy thing for teenage boys to process and talk about. I think doing something positive like this has not only raised significant money for Macmillan, but has also allowed the boys to have important conversations with each other about their own experiences.”
The event saw the group play four rounds at four different golf courses across the Bangor area.
Teeing off at the Royal Belfast Golf Club at 4am in the morning, the boys worked their way through a gruelling schedule of courses including Clandeboye and Bangor golf clubs, before a final tee off at Carnalea Golf Club at 6pm which was followed by a well-deserved celebration when the final round was complete.
Emma Bannon, Macmillan’s fundraising manager for the area said: “These four young men, their friendship and what they have chosen to do with it, are an absolute inspiration. Every Macmillan professional is there because of the generosity and dedication of fundraisers like the Bogeymen team, and Macmillan simply couldn’t do what we do without them.
"To the boys, and everyone who has supported and sponsored their efforts, I’d like to offer a huge and heartfelt thankyou from everyone here at Macmillan.”
The teams’ fundraising page is available for anyone who’d like to support their efforts: https://longestdaygolf.macmillan.org.uk/Team/thebogeymen3
If you have been affected by cancer and would like advice, information or a chat, you can call Macmillan for free on 0808 808 0000 or visit macmillan.org.uk.
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