Factory workers set to do Great North Run wearing only leopard print Speedos for Hartlepool hospice

Fund-raisers from SK Foods after they finished last year's Great North Run wearing leopard print Speedos.

Staff from SK Foods will be taking on the 13.1-mile event from Newcastle to South Shields wearing just leopard print Speedos.

Hartlepool and District Hospice will benefit from fund-raising by the group, who are hoping to generate more than £1,000.

Steve Nicol before the start of the 2015 Great North Run.

Steve Nicol, 38, is heading up the team and says he is counting down the hours until the race start on Sunday.

Also in the team is Tony Harvey, Dan Cox, Liam Harvey, Carl Wright, Luke Cox and Steve Robson.

“I can’t wait for it to be Sunday now,” said Steve Nicol, who lives in Blackhall.

“We did it for Cancer Research last year and managed to raise £2,500 which was a great effort because in previous years we’d only managed £700 or £800.

“We’ve chosen Hartlepool and District Hospice as it’s a local charity rather than a national one, so you know that the money is staying in the area.

“And I think everyone from where I’m from knows of someone or a family who has used the hospice.”

The hospice costs several million pounds a year to keep up and running and only receives a small amount of funding from the Government.

It needs to raise £4,877 every day through voluntary contributions to make sure the people who use the services receive the right care, when and where they need it.

Fund-raisers from SK Foods after they finished last year's Great North Run.

The lads will begin the race together but are expected to split up before meeting back together in South Shields.

“We range in age from 25 to 50 so we’ll end up with a quicker group and a slower group,” added Steve.

“We’re hoping to stay together until we reach Gateshead Stadium which is a few miles in.”

Whatever their times, the group from the firm in Middlesbrough’s South Bank are expecting another fun day raising cash for a worthy cause.

“We all love doing it because it’s such a good day.

“You get little kids shouting stuff but plenty of encouragement. We even got a standing ovation crossing the finishing line last year.

“The atmosphere was brilliant last time and we hope it’ll be the same this weekend.”

To donate towards the lads’ appeal go to https://hhgnr16.everydayhero.com/uk/leopard-print-speedos.