Players – pros and amateurs – are taking the blue ball challenge

Jason Francis came up with the idea. Here is WPBSA explaining what it’s all about:

Snooker Stars Potting for the NHS

3rd April 2020

Leading snooker stars including 2015 world champion Stuart Bingham have taken part in the Blue Ball Snooker Challenge during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic to raise money for the National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom.

The initiative was the brainchild of World Seniors Snooker Chairman Jason Francis who challenged any players with snooker tables at home to try and pot ten difficult blue balls with people predicting how many they would get and donating to the NHS.

“It started as a bit of fun but its gone viral now with players having a go and raising money for our national health service in the UK,” said Francis. “This week alone we have had Stuart Bingham, Joe Perry and Kyren Wilson take part and our regular Facebook live videos have proved very popular with the snooker community.”

The initial goal was to raise £1,470 for a local NHS trust as a reference to snooker’s maximum 147 break – a target which was soon met within four days. Further targets have since been met for bodies including the London North West NHS Trust and Barts NHS Trust, with a Sheffield-based Trust set to be the next beneficiary in recognition of the city’s status as the home of snooker having hosted the professional World Snooker Championship since 1977.

Overseas players in Ireland have also taken up the challenge with €1,000 having been raised for its Health Service Executive.

“For as long as we remain in isolation, and players want to continue supporting this, we will continue,” added Francis. “It would be incredible if we could top £10,000 by the time we finish.”

For more information and to view the attempts so far visit the ROKit Phones World Seniors Snooker Facebook page.

This is a great initiative and players have really embraced it.

Gary Filtness, the Super Seniors n°1, was first to take it and made it ten out of ten! Stuart Bingham made nine. Kyren Wilson involved his whole family. Emma Parker, the women under-21 n°1, potted eight out of ten…

Far too many players took it already to name them all, with a lot more already committed to trying their best and they come from all corners: professionals, seniors, juniors, disability players, all united to support their national health system.