Staff and users at Halton Borough Council Day Services, were ‘tyre’-lessly raising funds for Cystic Fibrosis Trust by doing a 100 mile cycle challenge at Kingsway Leisure Centre on Friday 14 July, with more than £1k raised.
The event commemorated the recent loss of colleague Cath Mackrell and her Grandson Luke, who sadly passed away within a week of each other. She did a lot of fundraising for CF as one of her grandsons, Billy, aged ten of Frodsham, who joined the effort is living with the condition.
Cath worked for Halton Community Services as dmin/clerical support after working at Dorset Gardens as an admin/clerical. She passed away in March. Her eldest grandson Luke played football for Runcorn Linnets and was only just 18 when he passed away a week earlier.
Halton Borough Council staff members are doing several different fundraisers in memory and celebration of Cath and are creating a tranquil space within the office courtyard at Halton Day Services ‘Bredon’ in Palacefields.
Cath loved this area and looked forward to reading out there on her lunch break when the good weather came.
Alison Waller, Day Services Manager said: “She is greatly missed, and the fundraising is way to celebrate Cath’s life and show how much she was loved by her colleagues and the people that knew her.
Halton Borough Council’s Executive Board Member for Health and Wellbeing, Cllr Marie Wright, said: “It is a measure of how well loved and respected Cath was that her former colleagues are doing this for her.”
The event was to cycle 100-miles as a team on two stationary bikes, one was situated by the leisure centre entrance and one in the activity room.
The team of 24 cyclists consisted of Halton Borough Council staff, service users with physical and learning disabilities and a couple of friends.
There was some good camaraderie and banter during the event and members of the public were dropping money into a bucket as they passed the cyclists offering words of encouragement.
As well as Billy, Halton Council Communications Officer, Mark Allen who also has CF and joined the team. The cycle challenge lasted from 9am until 6pm with the team totting up 120 miles.
A YouTube video shows highlights of the challenge https://youtu.be/v83vWRGylvE
All donations will immediately go to Cystic Fibrosis Trust – just click on the link below to make a donation.
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/HaltonDayServices
Total £1,030
£705.JustGiving
£325 Donations and sponsorship