From Fordingbridge to Fordingbridge: 60-mile relay to raise money for Love Your Hospital charity

The Fordingbridge team will set off from the company’s factory in Arundel Road next Saturday (February 15) to run and cycle the 60 miles to the town of Fordingbridge, on the edge of the New Forest in Hampshire.

The eight runners and cyclists will be split into pairs to complete part of the route before handing over the baton to the next pair.

They will then regroup in the New Forest to cross the finish line as a team.

Fordingbridge business development manager and relay team member Fraser Dixon said: “The idea to take part in some sort of challenge started with a few of us trying to lose a spot of holiday weight.

“The thought quickly evolved into a team relay and the distance just grew. There are now nine of us taking part, all of varying abilities.

“We are all genuinely going to be pushed to our limits – 100,000 metres is definitely going to test us!”

Joining Fraser for the relay are designers Katie Preston, Louise Martin-Bennett and Adolfo Marin; technical sales managers Jon Heywood and Adam Collier; project manager Lauren Parsons; Patty Quieti from the finance department, and managing director Steve Toone, while logistical support will be provided by sales administrator Joan Sorensen.

The team is hoping to raise £2,000 for Love Your Hospital, the official charity of Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust which includes Chichester’s St Richard’s Hospital, as well as Worthing Hospital and Southlands Hospital in Shoreham.

Fraser said: “Every member of the Fordingbridge staff relies on the NHS and being able to directly support our local hospitals was incredibly important to us, hence the decision to support the charity this year.

“We have taken part in a number of fundraising schemes so far, including Joan, our sales administrator, scaling the O2 last year, but this will be a really satisfying mass effort with plenty of opportunity to cheer each other on.”

To donate to the Fordingbridge team’s JustGiving page visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/fordingbridge