Workers in wheelchair ride charity effort

W12200H14-WheelchairEvent

Charity wheelchair event. Staff from Debenhams take part in the chaity event, for, Help the Hereos, on Worthing sea front. Pictured are staff members and the Mayor and Mayoress of Worthing, Cllr Bob Sytherman and Cllr Norah Fisher. Splashpoint, Worthing. SUS-140322-131705001 — W12200H14-WheelchairEvent Charity wheelchair event. Staff from Debenhams take part in the chaity event, for, Help the Hereos, on Worthing sea front. Pictured are staff members and the Mayor and Mayoress of Worthing, Cllr Bob Sytherman and Cllr Norah Fisher. Splashpoint, Worthing. SUS-140322-131705001

Debenhams staff came up with the zany fundraising idea to raise money for the store’s charity of the month – Help for Heroes.

Starting from Splashpoint, the six workers wheeled around the course, completing it in three and a half hours.

Organiser Sam Faro said the taster of life as a wheelchair user was ‘horrendous’ because of the effort required to push himself along the seafront route.

He said: “I cannot explain how hard it is for people to be in a wheelchair. It was horrendous.

“We did about six miles, it took us three and a half hours and the weather was horrible.

“It started sunny but then it was windy, cold and rainy but we were all doing it for a good cause and the support from the public was great.”

The staff were joined on the day by mayor Bob Smytherman and mayoress Norah Fisher, who also completed the course in her electric wheelchair.

A total of £660 was raised on the day, while the store as a whole has raised around £6,000 for the charity through various fundraisers throughout the month.

Mr Faro said: “I was really surprised how supportive the people we went past were.

“The day went really well and fair play to the mayoress and mayor for joining in, too.”

Help for Heroes is a military charity, which raises funds for British soldiers wounded in current conflicts.