Co-op’s Castlewood workers help children’s hospice on days off

The team at the Castlewood distribution centre has completed a series of fundraising initiatives on their days off for Bluebell Wood, the North Anston hospice that looks after dozens of children and families from the Nottinghamshire area.

The team has already presented a cheque for £1,415.50 to Bluebell Wood, and has pledged to raise more money in the future.

The Castlewood centre, which serves more than 500 Co-op food stores across the region, has even persuaded the company to make a donation of Co-op shopping, such as snacks and drinks, to the hospice every month.

Damian Lamb, stock manager at the centre, which is near junction 28 of the M1, said: “Here at Castlewood, we offer our employees the chance to take two days of paid leave to work for good causes.

“A colleague suggested supporting Bluebell Wood, but most of us didn’t realise what a hospice does for cbildren with life-threatening illnesses and their families.”

To help raise the money, five employees tackled the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge, and three night-shift workers took part in the hospice’s annual ‘Colour Dash’.

Nichols Ridley went even further, literally, by completing two ultra-marathons, one of 70 miles and another of 100 miles.

Damian added: “His second run lasted more than 23 hours and he didn’t stop once. We are immensely proud of him.

“Doing something for a good cause has brought us closer together. It’s like team-building. I’d urge any company to gift time to its staff so they can help the hospice.”

Castlewood’s latest fundraising challenge was setting off at midnight to scale Snowdon, Wales’s highest mountain at 3,560 feet, in time to catch the sunrise at the summit.

Rachael Dawes, of Bluebell Wood, said: “The kindness of Damian and his team knows no bounds. We would love to hear from other companies who would like to form partnerships with us.”