SOME members of our team are limbering up and putting in the miles as they prepare to cycle a combined distance of 80 miles for charity as they travel between our housing developments.
Staff at Genesis Homes and Russell Armer Homes have chosen to raise money throughout 2022 for the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) and have organised a wide range of events to boost the charity’s funds.
One of the main fundraisers will see eight members of our team cycle in a relay format to and from some of our completed or ongoing housing developments, with each participant completing at least 10 miles.
Jo Ratcliffe is leading the fundraising campaign for us, and she explained why this cycle and further initiatives were so important to the team.
She said: “GNAAS is an amazing charity which provides life-saving, pre-hospital medical assistance transport via ambulance helicopters to thousands of people across the north of England each year, and it relies on public donations and every penny it receives contributes to it continuing its outstanding work.
“We really want to raise as much money as we can for this phenomenal charity which makes a positive difference to the lives of so many local people, so we were thinking of ways we could be a bit different and capture people’s imaginations.
“Cycling between Genesis Homes developments was something we thought would be a fun but very challenging activity which helps spread the fundraiser throughout the county, and it’s a challenge our colleagues have really got behind.
“They’ve put the miles in ahead of the activity so they’re really determined to make this a really impactful event, and we hope members of the communities we will pass come out to support us and spur us on when legs get tired.”
Scheduled to take place on Wednesday, July 20, the cycling will commence at 8am with the first cyclist setting off from our Beckstones development at Rheda North Park, in Frizington.
There will then be stops at developments in Stainburn, Brigham, Wigton, Burgh-by-Sands, Cumwhinton, Armathwaite, Calthwaite and Carleton.
From Carleton, all participants will bring the action to an end by cycling together to the finishing line at the Lonsdale Park development, in Hackthorpe, where a glass of Prosecco will be awaiting them at around 5.20pm.
The fundraising cycle is just one of many activities we have planned to raise money for GNAAS, with a charity golf day at Penrith Golf Club to take place on Wednesday, August 24. Staff members completed a 20-mile walk around Ullswater Way earlier in the year.
The fundraising will be brought to a spectacular finale with the hosting of its black tie event, The Bohemian Ball, at Carlisle Racecourse on Saturday, November 19.
Some of our team were given a first-hand insight into the life-saving work carried out by GNAAS when we recently paid a visit to the charity’s headquarters in Stockton-on-Tees.
Julie Jameson, a corporate fundraiser at GNAAS which provides air ambulance services across Cumbria, the North-East and North Yorkshire, said: “We are delighted that Genesis Homes has chosen us as its charity to raise funds for. We are reliant on public donations and this year we need £6.7m to remain operational.
“We look forward to all the fundraising activities the team has planned over the year, and we hope they’ll feel proud knowing that the money they raise will help our critical care team continue to deliver world-class pre-hospital care to those in need.”
Anyone wishing to donate can visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/genesisrussellarmer.