COLLEAGUES and friends of workers at a Sunderland supermarket will be tackling the Great North Run together to raise funds for their chosen Charity of the Year.
Rob Fraser, 52, PR ambassador at Sainsbury’s in Silksworth, Sunderland, will be joined by three colleagues and their friends for the iconic half marathon in September as they raise funds for adopted charity St Benedict’s Hospice, in Ryhope.
The supermarket has just named St Benedict’s as its Charity of the Year for the second year running following an in store vote.
The team, which includes Steve Dickinson, Michael Gurney, Stephen Handy, Robert Fraser, husband and wife Michael and Julie Pendergast, of Durham, and Nicola Simpson, has so far raised £1,600 for St Benedict’s. They hope to see the figure rise further by the time they’re donning their trainers and heading to Newcastle for the start of the popular race.
Said Rob: “We started a running group last year and did the Sunderland 10K and we thought we’d try something bigger this year with the Great North Run. We’re all going to run it together and make sure we finish together too. All of our friends and family will be there to cheer us on too.”
The staff will be raising more funds in store for St Benedict’s with various events from tombolas and raffles to a fashion show and charity night.
Catrina Flynn, fundraising manager at St Benedict’s, said: “We’re really grateful to Rob and his team, not only for training hard and running the Great North Run for us but also that the store has chosen us as its Charity of the Year again.”