ENTERPRISING college staff have run a mile to raise hundreds of pounds for a hospice in desperate need of funds.
Dozens of staff from Darlington College used their daily exercise hour to good effect when they pounded the pavements in aid of St Teresa’s Hospice.
The final total is still to be calculated but their endeavours have already reached several hundred pounds.
Staff came to the rescue after hearing about the plight of St Teresa’s, which needs to raise £3m a year to provide free care for people living with life-limiting illnesses and their families in Darlington, South Durham and North Yorkshire.
A host of planned fundraisers have had to be cancelled or postponed because of coronavirus and the hospice’s charity shops have had to close.
The Government’s emergency response is compensating for some of the lost income but the hospice is still facing a deficit this year because of the crisis.
An emergency appeal will run for the immediate future with members of the public being urged to donate to a Just Giving Page at https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/HugToStTsor pledge a regular gift to become official ‘Friends of the Hospice’. Fundraising packs can also be obtained offering ideas to help raise money during the period of isolation.
Darlington College was quick to come to the support of the hospice when the pandemic struck by donating personal protective equipment and now staff have followed this up by joining the virtual marathon and launching a Just Giving page, https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/co-run-a-marathon.
Marketing and engagement manager at Darlington College Claire Turner said: “I was thrilled and felt quite emotional when so many staff agreed to sign up for the event to help St Teresa’s Hospice, which is such a great cause.
“We asked them to chronicle their runs and it has been fascinating to see where our colleagues have been running and how they got on. We are looking forward to calculating how much the event has raised.”
St Teresa’s Hospice chief executive Jane Bradshaw said: “The speed with which Darlington College organised this fundraiser was astounding and we are so grateful for their continued support. We can’t thank the staff enough because it is help like this that allows us to continue our work at this very difficult time.”
Anyone feeling inspired by the efforts of the Darlington College team can sign up to the new 2.6 Challenge, a national fundraising drive that St Teresa’s Hospice is a part of, in which participants set themselves a challenge based around the number 26, or 2.6, to raise funds. More information can be found at www.twopointsixchallenge.justgiving.co.uk/get-involved.