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Charnce Jefferies’ friends take on gruelling bike fundraiser
Nine of Charnce Jeffries’ friends cycled from Addenbrookes Hospital, in Cambridgeshire, to the Greenstead estate in Colchester on Sunday.
Charnce, 24, remains in a coma at the hospital after suffering a bleed on the brain during an altercation gone wrong earlier this month.
Police officers found the former Colchester Academy pupil unconscious on the floor of a car park off Tamarisk Way in Colchester at about 10pm on Friday, May 5.
The Gazette understands he is responding well to the care of medical experts and has shown signs of increasing awareness as they continue to help his condition improve.
A fundraising page set up to support Charnce’s family as they pay for hotels near the hospital has seen more than £18,000 raised so far.
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And the determined efforts continued with the gruelling bike ride on Sunday, starting at Addenbrookes Hospital and finishing at Gas Recreation Football Club’s ground in Bromley Road, Colchester.
More than 500 people awaited the arrival of the cyclists after a near-50 mile trek – dubbed the Tour de Charnce – took them about four hours to complete.
A charity football match was then held to further boost fundraising efforts.
A Dance for Charnce event will be held this Sunday at The Silk Road in St Botolph’s Street from 3pm.
Messages of support have flooded into the fundraiser on GoFundMe, including from Colchester business SP Pipelines and Sewers which pledged £2,500.
Charnce’s mum, Sam, issued a heartfelt message to her son as he continues to fight for his life.
“Come on boy, you can do this,” she said. “You are our world, our big pain. You’re as nuts as can be but we wouldn’t have it any other way.
“You will be OK, you have to be. We are absolutely broken. I’m actually missing you shouting ‘Mum where’s this? Where’s that?’”
Zack Ennew, 26, of Goring Road, Colchester has been charged with causing grevious bodily harm without intent in connection with the incident which left Charnce injured.
He is due to appear at Ipswich Crown Court on June 5.
You can support all fundraising efforts at bit.ly/3VOfGrN.
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