Daring fundraisers take to the skies to raise funds for children’s hospice

A team of daring fundraisers took to the skies over the weekend to raise funds for a children’s hospice.

10 P&A Group employees, from all divisions including P&A Pallets, The Woodworks Garden Centre and Café, Woodworks Timber Buildings and Zest 4 Leisure, completed a tandem skydive on Saturday in aid of Hope House and Tŷ Gobaith.

The high adrenaline challenge saw colleagues jump from ten thousand feet, with an exhilarating 30 second free fall, before pulling the rip cord to land safely back at Tilstock Airfield in North Shropshire.

Hazel Bainbridge, HR Director at P&A Group said: “It was a real privilege to have the opportunity to raise money for Hope House & Tŷ Gobaith with such an exciting experience.

“Thank you to everyone who took part from each division of P&A and all of our family, friends and amazing work colleagues for supporting us in raising money towards our target for this incredible charity.”

Speaking about the experience, Cristina Franco, procurement coordinator, added: “I loved every second, it was so much fun – I had smile on my face for the whole day.

“Hope House and Tŷ Gobaith is such a worthwhile cause to be raising money for, it’s not too late to sponsor us. I wish I could do it all over again.”

Each year P&A staff vote for one chosen charity to fundraise for and this year, Hope House & Tŷ Gobaith was selected.

Hope House and Tŷ Gobaith is a charity which provides care and support to children and young people with serious illnesses and life limiting conditions, and their families, across Shropshire, Cheshire, North and Mid Wales.

Steve Morgan, managing director at P&A, said: “Year on year I am amazed by how staff push themselves to raise money for our chosen charities with a target this year of over £10,000.

“To see this team of 10, throw themselves out of a plane, shows great courage I am very proud of them all. The amount that they have already raised for Hope House is very impressive but we are not there yet.”

The weekend of fundraising didn’t stop there, with Andrew Baker, finance director at P&A Group, and Natasha Jones, warehouse operator, completed the Chester Half Marathon on Sunday.

For Natasha this was her first ever half marathon attempt and successfully completed the event in three hours four minutes.

Experienced marathon runner Andrew Baker, completed the Chester half marathon with a personal best, 1 hour 28 minutes, finishing 170th out of 4350 runners. This is part of his 2019 charity challenge to run 1,600 miles this year.

Andrew has pounded the pavements in marathons and half marathons, including Chester, Manchester, Twin Piers and Wrexham Running Festival. His challenge is far from over, to date he’s clocked up over 679 miles with 921 miles left to go, including Lake Vyrnwy Half Marathon in September and Yorkshire Marathon in October.

Andrew Baker said: “Hope House and Tŷ Gobaith are amazing in the support they give to children and young people, but they can’t do it without our help.

“With this in mind, and as a father of four, I am committed to raising as much money for them as I can and am aiming to run 1,600 miles this year in marathons and other challenges.”

To have already raised over £1,100 by this point in the year and with over half of the distance still to go, I am determined to double the amount raised and add it to the P&A total.”

P&A Group is also raising money in a variety of ways ranging from, bake sales, marathons, 5K inflatable obstacle course runs and 10K walks.

You can support any of the fundraising challenges that P&A Group employees have set themselves, here.