GCN and Life Style Sports have teamed up to launch an exciting fitness and fundraising challenge – 100K in May! Would you like to set yourself a challenge to walk or run 100K in May all for a great cause, or donate to others taking part? Course, you would! 

2021 marks 33 years in publishing for GCN, and like many other charitable organisations, COVID-19 has had a massive impact on our ability to raise funds in order to continue providing a free, independent LGBTQ+ media resource for the community and its allies in Ireland. 

Ireland’s largest sports retailer, Life Style Sports have been working with GCN for the past year and counting. For Pride 202o, they generously supported the sports strand of our In and Out festival, and have come on board again this year to support our campaign 100K in May. Our fab friends have provided seed funding for the project with a generous starting donation of €3333.33 – to celebrate GCN’s 33rd birthday!

Life Style Sports will also be encouraging donators and challenge participants alike with special vouchers and discounts codes sculpted especially for #GCN100KinMay shared throughout the month, and with their free next day delivery from the online store, they have us all covered!

Gordon Newman from Life Style Sports explained “Exercise plays a vitally important role in helping to maintain both physical and mental well being, now more than ever. Everyone at Life Style Sports is delighted to continue our partnership with GCN and support this initiative by kicking off the donations, we’re really looking forward to seeing all the kilometres clocked up in May in support of both GCN and the LGBTQ+ community across Ireland.”

GCN’s Managing Editor, Lisa Connell, and Editor, Peter Dunne, are some of the members of the team at GCN signing up for the challenge.

There are lots of ways you can support this exciting initiative:

• You can sponsor Lisa, Peter and any other participants who’ll be running/ walking 100K in May by donating what you can to their fundraisers.
• You can join the #GCN100KinMay challenge: Walk or run 100K in May too and get your friends and family to donate by creating your own fundraiser page by simply clicking here.
• Track and share your progress using the #GCN100KinMay hashtag through the month of May.
• You can also click here to make a donation directly on our site.

Lisa Connell, Managing Editor shared: 

“We know how important it is for our community to get active and stay active for our physical and mental wellbeing. Running and walking has been a lockdown lifeline for so many of us, and so as we step bravely into the next few months as a connected community, how better to raise some much-needed funds for your national LGBTQ+ press than to hit the streets, set a challenge and get moving. Good for us, good for you!”

GCN Editor Peter Dunne added: 

“Like with many people, exercise and staying active has been essential for my mental health during lockdown, so a physical challenge like this to help raise funds for GCN is very exciting! We’re doing what we can to keep connecting, informing and entertaining the LGBTQ+ community across Ireland and appreciate any support to help us achieve our goal. For those who’d like to take part in the challenge, 100K may sound daunting, but you don’t have to be a runner. Add up your daily walks, check your step counter, get involved and get active!

Be part of it.