More than a throwdown: behind Horsham CrossFit’s Battle Against Cancer
Some events start with a date and a venue. This one started with people.
When Horsham CrossFit decided to bring its community together in support of two members undergoing cancer treatment, the purpose was clear from the beginning. The Battle Against Cancer Throwdown needed to raise money for Olive Tree Cancer Support, but it also needed to feel like Horsham CrossFit: welcoming, full of energy and built around looking after one another.
My role through Surrey Hills Marketing was to help carry that purpose from the first creative ideas through to the event itself and the final wrap up.
Giving the event an identity
The creative work had to do more than make the event look good. It needed to give people something they could recognise, rally around and feel proud to wear. I developed the event branding and applied it across the promotional materials and T-shirts, creating a consistent look from the first announcement to the competition floor.
The tone of voice mattered just as much. Cancer is deeply personal to this community. The messaging needed to be honest about why we were coming together, while making it clear that everyone had a place in the day, whether they were competing, cheering, bringing their family or donating.
Getting the word out
Once the identity was in place, I worked on the event communications and outreach: sharing what was happening, explaining the cause and giving people ways to get involved. I also briefed the photography so that we could capture both sides of the day: the effort on the competition floor and the moments of support around it.
On Saturday 19 September, those plans became a real event at Horsham CrossFit’s home at Tickfold Farm in Kingsfold. Members of different abilities took part in a pairs competition, with friends, families and spectators cheering them on. There was competition, plenty of encouragement and a real sense that the whole gym was behind the reason we were there.
Carrying the story beyond the day
The work didn’t finish when the last workout ended. The photographs gave us a way to thank everyone involved and show what the day meant to the community. I pulled together the post-event story and press release, including the voices of the people at the heart of it.
The event raised £2,682 for Olive Tree Cancer Support, a local charity that has supported loved ones of Horsham CrossFit members through their own cancer journeys. It was a brilliant result, made possible by everyone who competed, donated, helped and showed up.
I’m proud to have played a part in bringing the Battle Against Cancer Throwdown to life. Seeing the branding on the day was lovely; seeing the community make the event their own meant far more.
Thank you to Liam and Sam at Horsham CrossFit for trusting me with it, to everyone who got behind the event, and to James Hamilton-Martin for capturing the day so beautifully.