Over 1,100 miles completed for charity
CNC new recruits and employees raised over £2,000 for the Helen & Douglas House charity last weekend, after completing over 1,100 miles around Culham Science Centre, near Abingdon, where the CNC HQ is located.
This is the fifth year the annual challenge has been organised by CNC staff based in the Training, Learning and Development (TLD) department. Between 8am Friday (21/8) and 12pm on Saturday (22/8), staff from TLD, new recruits who are training to become police officers with the CNC, and other officers and staff based at Culham ran or walked a total of 1,108 miles around the Culham site.
Over the last five years’, the event has raised over £10,000 for Helen & Douglas House, a charity which provides care and support for terminally ill children, young adults and their families through exceptional hospice care.
Sgt Neill Dearden, chief organiser of the event, said: “This is the fifth year we have held the challenge and I would like to thank all those who took part, logged a mile or two and made a donation.
“Special mentions must go to student officer Chris Thornton, who completed a total of 72 miles despite completing a full day of training beforehand and not starting until 5.30pm on Friday, and PC Fran Jackson, a trainer from TLD, who completed 55 miles.
“Sponsorship money is still coming in so I won’t have the final amount raised for a number of weeks, but I’m confident it’ll be over £2,000 meaning that over the last five events we have raised over £10,000 for Helen & Douglas House. I look forward to planning many more challenges to raise money for this fantastic cause.”
Deputy Chief Constable Simon Chesterman said: “This event is arranged every year by staff in our TLD department and encourages our staff and new recruits to do their bit for a very worthwhile charity while also keeping fit – which is very important to the Constabulary as we are an armed police service.
“I am very impressed with those that kept on running and logged such fantastic distances, the equivalent of nearly three marathons in Chris’s case and two in Fran’s! I am very proud to be part of an organisation which has such strong fund raising values and congratulate all those involved.”
Poppy Hanbury, Senior Community and Events Fundraiser from Helen & Douglas House, said: “It’s absolutely wonderful to be part of the 1000 mile challenge again for the 5th year running. We are so grateful for the support and funds that we have received. It’s fantastic to see so many getting behind the charity and take on the huge challenge of 1000 miles!”
