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Last summer, we challenged the Ainscough team to help us mark our 40th anniversary by encouraging them to take part in a fundraising challenge with the incentive that the company would match their efforts and contribute to our team’s chosen good causes.
Depots and Departments from Aberdeen to Plymouth got involved and held a series of events which included: cycling challenges, mountain walking, endurance running and Christmas jumper events. Some highlights of the fundraising included:
A team of eight from our Bristol, Exeter, Plymouth, and Carmarthen depots scaled three of the highest mountains in Wales to raise funds for Cheltenham-based children’s charity, Winston’s Wish.
Tackling the peaks of Cadair Idris, Snowdon and Pen Y Fan in the autumn, the team were led by hire controller, Darren Loveridge, covered 20 miles and climbed 8,000 feet to raise £2,626. Darren said: “I am very pleased with how much money we have managed to raise for the charity. We had half an idea that we’d exceed our target but we never thought we’d double it.”
A team from our Manchester Depot took to their bikes in memory for a former colleague who unexpectedly died last year, Andrew Willits. Their 40-mile ride from Preston to Manchester raised £295 for the Sepsis Trust.
Also taking to two wheels were a team from the Preston depot who raised £760 cycling from coast-to-coast in aid of Cancer Research UK, whilst QHSE Advisor (South East Region), Gary Dixon, cycled solo from Cambridge to Norwich, covering 80 miles in aid of the Demelza Children’s Hospice in the south east.
Gary, who raised £1,960, said: “Initially I had aimed to raise £500 for Demelza, which is a charity close to my heart.
“Having completed a series of shorter practice rides, I was determined to complete the longer ride and I am very proud of how much we raised.”
Derek Gow, commercial director at Ainscough said: “We challenged each department to take on a fundraising event during our 40th anniversary year. We are very proud of the response we have had, from small scale to major events, our team have joined in to make a difference. Thanks to everyone who got involved, the feedback from participants was that it brought us all together and that we should do more in future.
“The company has matched the funds and a total of £15,746.00 has been raised by the Ainscough team. This fundraising will truly make a real difference to those organisations that rely on ordinary people getting involved and raising much-needed funds.”
