A team of walkers from Northumbrian Water are hoping to raise a few festive smiles after supporting North East comedian Jason Cook’s Laffs 4 Kids charity show.
More than 30 colleagues from the company walked 11 miles along the region’s coast, from Crimdon to Seaham, raising money and collecting brand new toys, to help the funny fundraiser ensure no North East child gets forgotten this Christmas.
Jason, who shot to fame when he wrote and starred in the hit BBC comedy Hebburn, set up the annual event after hearing news stories about children in the region who went without presents at Christmas.
The charity show, which takes place at Newcastle City Hall on Tuesday, December 12, is billed the “happiest comedy show in the North East” and part of the entry fee is a new, unwrapped toy that will be delivered to a child as part of Metro Radio’s Cash for Kids charity.
More than 30 toys were donated and over £1,000 raised for the charity through the walk, with the money going towards buying further gifts.
Northumbrian Water gave the walkers time out of their day jobs to take part in the walk as part of its Just An Hour employee volunteering programme.
Jason Cook said: “We do Laffs4kids because Christmas is a time for all of us to forget our problems just for one day. It’s unthinkable to think kids in our region, who probably live less than a mile from all our homes and go to school with our own kids will go without on Christmas Day.”
Sewerage Team Leader Peter Rollins, who organised the walk, said: “We’ve known about Laffs 4 Kids for a while and, as a team, have done some smaller events to bring in toys and money for the charity. Likewise, we all take great pride in the work that Northumbrian Water does to protect and enhance the North East’s bathing waters. The walk from Crimdon to Seaham was a great opportunity to get out there and show our support for Laffs 4 Kids, while taking in some amazing views along our beautiful coastline.”
In the last two decades, Northumbrian Water has invested £2 billion in improving the region’s bathing water. The most recent European rankings, released in November 2016, saw all 34 North East bathing waters pass the standards.
Anyone who would like to add to the team’s total can donate online at https://metrocfkfundraising.everydayhero.com/uk/team-dwaine