Workmates prepare to saddle up to raise thousands for Hartlepool hospice

A group of workmates from a Hartlepool business will get in the saddle to try to raise £5,000 for the town’s hospice.
By Mark Payne
Published 14th Mar 2019, 05:00 BST
Bridgman IBC Coast to Coast team members. From left: Ben Elstob, Andy Ryan, Kyle Gavillet, Jim Greensmith, Shaun Morfitt, Gerry Baxter, Stewart Hind, and Daniel Phillips.Bridgman IBC Coast to Coast team members. From left: Ben Elstob, Andy Ryan, Kyle Gavillet, Jim Greensmith, Shaun Morfitt, Gerry Baxter, Stewart Hind, and Daniel Phillips.
Bridgman IBC Coast to Coast team members. From left: Ben Elstob, Andy Ryan, Kyle Gavillet, Jim Greensmith, Shaun Morfitt, Gerry Baxter, Stewart Hind, and Daniel Phillips.

Seven staff from Bridgman IBC, a leading UK manufacturer and supplier of doorsets and bespoke doors on Hartlepool’s Longhill Industrial Estate, have pledged to cycle 150 miles across the country in a coast to coast challenge.

They are doing it for Alice House Hospice which workers at Bridgeman nominated as their official charity partner.

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Staff at the company have previously raised smaller amounts of money for the hospice from Christmas Jumper days and similar events, but decided this year to do something bigger.

The colleagues will saddle up for the tough challenge from Whitehaven, in Cumbria, to Hartlepool between June 7-9.

Jim Greensmith of Bridgman, who is organising the project, said: “In 2016 as a business we decided we had room for a charity partner, it was a unanimous decision that Alice House be our charity of choice.

“This decision was mainly down to the fact that our employees are all from the local area and with us employing close to 70 members of staff there is a very strong chance that the majority if not all of our employees will be affiliated to Alice House in some way in their lifetime, whether it be via a friend, relative or directly – so anything we can do to help Alice House keep up the superb work they do for the local community the better.

“Our aim is to raise £5000 for Alice House.”

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He especially thanked Bridgeman directors Mick, Tony and Peter who are paying for all of the riders’ transport, food and accommodation for the trip, so that all the sponsorship raised goes straight to the hospice to care for patients and families who are affected by incurable illnesses.

Along with Jim, taking part will be Andy Ryan, Jason Baxter, Kyle Gavillet, Mick Butler, Shaun Morfitt, and Stewart Hind, with Ben Elstob and Dan Phillips as support drivers.

Greg Hildreth, a fundraiser at Alice House Hospice, said: “We are so pleased to have been chosen by staff at Bridgman for such a big fundraising challenge; on behalf of everyone here I would like to express our gratitude and wish the team good luck. “Events like this make a real difference to Hospice patients who benefit directly from the money raised.

“I hope that lots of people will get behind the guys from Bridgman and show them the support they deserve.”

People can sponsor the team at https://hartlepoolhospice-fundraiser.everydayhero.com/uk/bridgman-ibc-c2c-challenge

Related topics:Hartlepool