Longridge girl Jade Cronshaw to be remembered 20 years on with charity rounders tournament

A charity rounders tournament will raise funds for epilepsy research and mark two decades since the passing of Longridge girl Jade Cronshaw.

Jade, 13, died on 5 May, 2005, from an epileptic seizure and now family and friends are coming together once again to raise funds for the Epilepsy Research Institute in her memory.

The rounders tournament will take place at Longridge Town Football Club, Inglewhite Road, Longridge, on Sunday, 4 May, from 12.30pm onwards. With 12 teams competing, there is no entrance fee and there will be a charity raffle and other opportunities to donate throughout the day. A JustGiving page has also been set up.

Jade’s sister, Lauren Blackburn, from Longridge, said family and friends had raised a remarkable £56,000 for epilepsy research over the two decades since Jade’s death.

She said: “When it all started, my mum and dad [Rachel and Damian Cronshaw] just thought that if they could raise enough to help one person with epilepsy that would be great. To have raised so much is just incredible and we feel it’s a good time to do this in memory of Jade.”

In the 20 years since Jade passed away, fundraising efforts have included friends tackling the national three peaks challenge and their mum, Rachel, running the London Marathon in 2022.

Lauren said the 4 May event will see a Preston North End shirt raffled off and she also thanked the generosity of local businesses which have donated prizes for the day.

She added that everyone is welcome to attend to charity rounders tournament and people can also donate via the JustGiving page which is available here: Lauren Cronshaw is fundraising for Epilepsy Research Institute UK.

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