A determined team of 19 staff from North East estate agency group My Property Box surpassed their £1,000 target after completing a gruelling 15-mile trek along Hadrian’s Wall in aid of the Red Sky Foundation – raising £1,150 so far, with donations still coming in.
Braving wind, driving rain, and the odd burst of sunshine, the team, including CEO Ben Quaintrell and Sales and Lettings Director Marie Wilmot, tackled one of the most scenic but demanding stretches of the Roman wall, between Brampton and Hexham.
Those taking part included staff from My Property Box’s Darlington office, My Property Box Tyne & Wear, located in Jesmond, Newcastle, and John Prest Letting Agency in Northallerton, which the company acquired last autumn.
Known for its dramatic views and steep climbs, the route offered little respite and the team, accompanied by two dogs, completed their challenge in under seven hours.
CEO Ben Quaintrell said: “It was a little tougher than many of us anticipated, given the terrain and the very changeable weather. It’s typical that after one of the driest springs for a century, we ended up walking through driving rain and wind.
“However, our spirit, determination, and motivation to support the Red Sky Foundation’s amazing work kept us going to the finish, and I’m incredibly proud of everyone who took part.”
The walk marks the latest in a series of My Property Box fundraising efforts for the charity, which provides life-saving cardiac care and defibrillators across the North East. It has previously raised more than £10,000 for the charity, including £7,000 from a James Bond-themed charity ball at Hardwick Hall, and £2,700 from a sponsored walk to the summit of England’s highest mountain, Scafell Pike.
Founded by Sergio and Emma Petrucci, Red Sky Foundation supports babies, children, and adults living with heart conditions by funding vital equipment and specialist care across the UK East. Inspired by their own daughter’s life-saving heart surgery, the North-East-based charity has helped install hundreds of public access defibrillators while supporting cardiac units at hospitals including Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital, Sunderland Royal, and James Cook in Middlesbrough.
Ben added: “We might have been wet and weary at the end of our walk but knowing why we were doing it made every step worthwhile.”
To donate to the My Property Box fundraiser, visit its JustGiving page: https://bit.ly/4l39QOJ