Fordingbridge, the garden centre engineering and construction contractor, are taking part in the mammoth challenge to raise funds for their local hospitals. A group of staff from the company are taking part in the 60+ mile challenge to run, cycle (or stagger!) from their West Sussex factory to Fordingbridge town in the New Forest.

Fundraising for Love Your Hospital, the company’s nominated charity this year, the small team of designers, project managers, sales technicians and the Managing Director, will be splitting into pairs to each complete a section of the 100km route, before handing the baton to the next pair. The Fordingbridge staff will then regroup for the ‘final hurdle’ in the New Forest, to cross the finish line as a team.

“The idea to take part in some sort of challenge started with a few of us trying to lose a spot of holiday weight,” jokes Fraser Dixon, Business Development Manager at the firm. 

“The thought quickly evolved into a team relay and the distance just grew. There are now nine of us taking part, all of varying abilities, so we are all genuinely going to be pushed to our limits. 100,000 metres is definitely going to test us!”

Love Your Hospital is the official charity of Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which looks after St Richards Hospital and Worthing Hospital in West Sussex. 

“Every member of Fordingbridge staff relies on the NHS and being able to directly support our local hospitals was incredibly important to us, hence the decision to support the charity this year,” Fraser explains. “We have taken part in a number of fundraising schemes so far, including Joan, our Sales Administrator, scaling the O2 last year, but this will be a really satisfying mass effort with plenty of opportunity to cheer each other on.”

The staff are encouraging donations through their official sponsorship page https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/fordingbridge

The event will take place on Saturday February 15th…come rain or shine.