Art Club Founder Charity Fundraiser SWITCHES PAINTBRUSHES FOR FITNESS TO FUNDRAISE FOR CANCER CHARITY.
Entrepreneur, Rachel Bray, has taken on a global fitness race, Hyrox. Her aim? To raise much-needed funds for Macmillan Cancer Support.
Swindon-based Rachel founded Let’s Create Art Club in 2020. Yet what many people don’t know is that she loves keeping fit. She sees it as supporting both her physical and mental health. Running her own business and stepping away from a corporate role has allowed her to work on her fitness alongside the fitness of her business.
‘Creating time for yourself as a working mum can be so difficult, if it’s not the time itself, it’s the mum guilt. This meant I didn’t pick up the pencils for years. I knew I needed to carve time out for myself because I know how much art affects your overall wellbeing and it’s something I’ve always loved,’ said Rachel.
Since then Rachel’s business has provided a creative outlet for 100s of children in and around Swindon and North Wiltshire.
Other passions
Now, her other passion for fitness and in particular, weight training, is having a big effect on her life. And she’s decided to also turn that passion into helping others.
‘I’ve always loved weight training and being active – years ago I even became a personal trainer. But that all fell away when I had my children. I returned to the gym in 2021 and taking on this challenge, when I haven’t done any running in about 20 years, felt  like a great way to give back,’ she continued.
‘We completed an art challenge before. Let’s Create Art Club took part in the ‘The Big Dog Art Trail’ in 2023 to fundraise for local children’s hospice, Julia’s house. We raised £500 for the charity, but this challenge was very different and very personal. This was my very first Hyrox and the pressure was building!’
Hyrox
Hyrox is a hybrid endurance race welcoming anybody at any fitness level. The challenge involves participants running eight 1km runs and completing eight functional workout stations. The global event took place at Olympia in London during the last week of March.
I headed to London the week of the Hyrox to put my endurance and strength to the test and much like a half or full marathon, it’s you Vs you,’ said Rachel.
‘I headed to London the week of the Hyrox to put my endurance and strength to the test and much like a half or full marathon, it’s you Vs you,’ said Rachel.
Rachel had only started adding running to her ‘normal’ training routine in January taking her training to between eight and nine hours a week.
The energy at the event was something I hadn’t expected or experienced before. To my complete surprise my family arrived and cheered me on until the end. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Whilst I didn’t make the personal time I wanted, I felt elated to cross the finish line knowing I’d given it my all.’
Official partner
Hyrox officially partnered with Macmillan Cancer Support. And all fundraising went to supporting people with lives affected by cancer. It’s now known that one in two people will get cancer in their life-time and it’s affected Rachel’s life.
‘In the last eight years alone, I’ve known eight people who’ve needed support from Macmillan Cancer Support. Six have been family members, five of whom lost their battle,’ she said.
n December, Rachel’s goal was to raise £400 for Macmillan Cancer Support, she broke her target and raised a total of £680.
‘A huge thank you goes to those who donated. Every donation makes a real difference to people’s lives. And knowing it was for charity spurred me on throughout a tough day when my legs felt like they were going to give up!’
Let’s Create Art Club’s staff and parents along with Rachel’s family and friends cheered Rachel on throughout her fitness challenge. And supported her efforts in raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support.
To continue supporting Macmillan, Rachel’s Hyrox challenge donation page is still open: https://www.justgiving.com/page/letscreate
Let’s Create Art Club is a member of the Institute of Children’s Activity Providers (ICAP), meeting high standards for safety, inclusion and engagement. They were finalists at the ICAP Awards 2025, in their ‘Rising Star – Outstanding achievement in Growth and Visions for the Future’ category.Â
For details of Let’s Create Art Club’s May half term Art Camp visit: https://www.letscreateartclub.co.uk/bookings
