Willmott Dixon given green light for £38m Outwood Academy Kirkby transformation
Third project for Outwood Grange Academies Trust, following Outwood Academy Danum in Doncaster and Outwood Academy Hemsworth in Yorkshire
A team from Willmott Dixon’s local office in Cobham peddled their way to £10,000 for the brain charity Headway.
Over 45 cyclists travelled 360 miles from the Angel of the North in Newcastle back to the Cobham office in Munro House on Portsmouth Road to generate the windfall for Headway. The riders used the recent Tour De France for inspiration as they averaged 90 miles a day to complete the marathon ride in four days.
Willmott Dixon’s managing director at Cobham Mark Tant says, “It’s the seventh year we have all taken part in such a challenge to raise money for a good cause, which often has a close connection to a member of staff. This year we decided to raise money for Headway as a colleague of ours has been deeply touched by the support he has received from Headway for his wife.”
The team completed their challenge in four stages; the first involved riding from Newcastle to Harrogate and the second from Harrogate to Nottingham. The third day started with Jo Plant and Hayley Coomber from Headway joining Willmott Dixon at the Hotel car park and explaining in more detail what Headway provides to individuals with a brain injury.
Mark says, “The talk by Jo and Hayley gave real focus to all the riders and support team as to the reason why we were doing this challenge. It definitely gave everyone that extra bit of energy and determination to complete the last two days to Banbury and then homeward bound on the final day with one last push to the finish line in Cobham.”
The cyclists were able to relax with family and friends at the finish line, while Peter McCabe from Headway thanked the team for their efforts.
Other previous examples of Cobham’s fundraising feats include a 60 mile canoe down the River Thames, cycling from Cobham to Paris, Walking the Ten Tors and completing the Three Peaks Challenge. It has seen the office raise £175,000 for good causes.
The Cobham office is responsible for Willmott Dixon’s construction work in South London and Southern Home Counties office, covering Surrey, Kent, Hampshire and Sussex. It recently built the new 50 metre training pool and sporting excellence complex at the University of Surrey and is redeveloping Coulsdon College and The Oasis Academy in Croydon, plus the new G-Live concert and entertainment venue in Guildford, due to be completed in September.