Every summer, Citywire hold a huge charity run. The financial publisher’s clients meet in Regent’s Park, and hundreds of people pound London’s pavements over a 10K course.
Abi Fellowes, a Citywire employee, nominated Saint Francis Hospice to be one of two chosen charities.
‘We know how hard cancelled fundraising events are hitting the Hospice,’ explained Abi. ‘We wanted to go for two smaller charities that were suffering, and didn’t want to let the lockdown get in the way of raising money for them.’
So that the run could go ahead, Citywire adapted 2020’s event for the socially distanced world we’re operating in. They invited companies’ employees to run 5K or 10K at their leisure, and log the ground covered on the mobile app and website, Strava. All while adhering to social distancing rules, of course.
Last year’s event raised an incredible £25,000. This year’s went one better and raised £26,000.
‘We couldn’t believe it,’ Abi revealed. ‘With all the changes we had to make, we expected maybe a few thousand, but not 26!’
Abi’s connection with Saint Francis Hospice began when the charity cared for her grandad after a diagnosis of prostate cancer. Ted Cullinane amazed everyone by spending eight weeks at the Hospice before passing away. He was 87.
‘The Hospice stepping in was a great relief for my mum, who was tending to him around the clock. I remember the Hospice as such a happy and beautiful place. I’ll always appreciate the nurses putting some flowers on Grandad’s pillow after he passed so that we could say goodbye to him.’
Abi’s mum, Debbie, went on to become the Referrals and Admissions Coordinator at the Hospice, and she’s now been with the Hospice for seven years.
Abi has some advice for anyone considering a virtual fundraiser: ‘Don’t think that it’s not going to be a success just because you need to do it differently,’ she said. ‘Ours certainly was.’
There are many ways in which your company can help people just like Ted. If you’d like to find out more about how you and your colleagues can do something incredible for local people living with life-limiting illnesses, while having lots of team-building fun along the way, then Saint Francis Hospice love to hear from you at corporate@sfh.org.uk
