Hartlepool firm gears up to support Children in Need by offering shoppers lifts for cash

A company plans to rally round to help shoppers as it raises funds for Children in Need.
Damien and Lauren McBride from Wheels Self Hire. Picture by FRANK REIDDamien and Lauren McBride from Wheels Self Hire. Picture by FRANK REID
Damien and Lauren McBride from Wheels Self Hire. Picture by FRANK REID

Wheels Self Drive, in Parkview Road, Hartepool, has decided to put its mini-bus fleet to use tomorrow to ferry shoppers from Middleton Grange Shopping Centre back to their homes.

With the support of the centre’s management and approval from Hartlepool Borough Council, people will be able to catch a lift from the underground car park in exchange for a donation to the charity, which will screen its evening of highlights this evening on BBC One from 7.30pm.

Damien and Lauren McBride from Wheels Self Hire, with their Children In Need collection buckets. Picture by FRANK REIDDamien and Lauren McBride from Wheels Self Hire, with their Children In Need collection buckets. Picture by FRANK REID
Damien and Lauren McBride from Wheels Self Hire, with their Children In Need collection buckets. Picture by FRANK REID
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Daniel McBride, the branch’s manager, and his wife Lauren, its assistant manager, will be working alongside company staff to run the buses after the firm’s director Karl Barowsky came up with the idea.

Daniel said: “We’ve got a couple of nine-seater mini buses within the business and decided to approach the supermarkets to see if they would be interested.

“When we spoke to Middleton Grange, they thought it was a great idea and so we spoke to the council.

“We’ll be doing it for free, but we hope people will make donations to Children in Need.

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“Karl heard about it on Radio Two when Steve Wright asked what weird and wacky things people would be doing for it and thought we should do something as a business.

“It’s a fantastic cause and helps a lot of people and we want to help them do that.”