Workers step out to raise hospice funding

WE did it . . . Paul Crossley (front, left) and Afraz Ahmed (front, right) presented a cheque for £2,310 to community fundraiser Ali Taylor (front, centre) at Dr Kershaw's Hospice

GENEROUS workers have raised a huge £2,310 for Royton-based Dr Kershaw's Hospice.

Staff from N Brown Group, owner of fashion brand JD Williams, walked 10 miles from their Shaw warehouse in Beal Lane to the Manchester head office in Lever Street to raise the cash.

Afraz Ahmed and Paul Crossley recruited a team of 16 from Shaw, some of whom have close ties with the hospice, to take on the three-hour-plus walk along Shaw Road, down Broadway and right on to Oldham Road and into the city centre.

Splash

While the team set off from Shaw, their colleagues from the head office set off from Manchester on a four-hour walk, which raised £2,635 for national charity British Lung Foundation.

Both departments also organised a series of fundraising activities in the lead up to their charity walk including a cream splash, sponge throwing, tombola and raffle.

Afraz said: "The day started well with the sun out and a good breeze to go with it. But as soon as we got half way down Broadway, the rain started pouring down. With the team spirit we carried on. As we got to Oldham Road the sun started blazing which dried us up. So overall it was a good day and we enjoyed it.

"Both teams felt the event was a success. We all feel the winners were our chosen charities.

"I would like to say a massive thanks to our charities and to all who took part and helped us make this day a success from raising money to the day of the walk."

Afraz also thanked N Brown Group for their "unlimited support" in giving them time, resources and donating prizes for the raffle and tombola.

Staff from Shaw have planned another charity walk for spring 2018 when they hope to go one step further, undertaking a return journey to Manchester and back.