Middlebrough children's hospice gets five figure support
A cycle ride over 1,000 miles from Middlesbrough by bosses at construction company Willmott Dixon has netted over £62k for local charity Zoë's Place Baby Hospice.
The company’s Group chief executive Rick Willmott challenged his senior management team to complete the gruelling Cyclotour du Léman, a cycling event in Switzerland where riders pedal 180km around Lake Léman on one day, starting and finishing in Zurich.
Ten riders achieved the feat and in the process raised £62,590 following generous donations from staff, family and the company’s supply chain. The money will go towards supporting Zoë's Place Baby Hospice’s work providing palliative, respite and end of life care to babies and infants aged from birth to 5 years who have life-limiting or life-threatening conditions.
Nick Corrigan, Willmott Dixon’s operations director for the North East explains,
“We started our relationship last year with Zoë's Place when our trainee Kristian Kerr delivered a challenge event that saw him lead a team that provided much needed improvements to its base at Crossbeck House. His work won the Willmott Dixon national challenge award and as a result Zoë's Place was chosen as the benefactor of Rick’s Cyclotour du Léman challenge.”
Zoë's Place general manager at Crossbeck House Mark Guidery goes on, “We were thrilled with Willmott Dixon’s generous contribution. It’s made a huge difference to the children and their families who come here each day. Willmott Dixon has done a lot for the built environment in the region, I can’t thank them enough for what they have done for us to help our work with local families.”
The company has a local base in Gateshead and has delivered some major projects recently in the North East, including Middlesbrough Sports Village, the green wall at Teeside University, Darlington Civic Theatre and Redcar Community Heart.
Nick Corrigan and Kristian Kerr recently visited the hospice to meet the hospice team and hand over the cheque, with the funds helping to ensure the hospice can provide a valuable service to local people.