Staff at Dorset based Tele
communications company 4Com are celebrating after successfully completing their 4Forty charity walk in under 18 hours. The challenge saw 17 hardy members of staff take on the Lyke Wake Walk, which is a trek from East to West of the North Yorkshire Moors.
The challenge began on Friday 6th June at 10pm with the team walking continuously throughout the night and day, only stopping at designated checkpoints to re-fuel. Their spirit was battered by the unforgiving terrain as the torrential rain and weather set in making the challenge near impossible. However, the team managed to push on through and completed the challenge in 17 hours 40 minutes raising a phenomenal £8751.82 in the process. 4Com themselves have pledged to match each pound raised, meaning the current total stands at a staggering £17,503.64. This money will go towards wholly sponsoring the construction and maintenance of specialised equipment at Linwood School, Bournemouth in partnership with Variety, The Children’s Charity.
Challenge Leader and Telemarketing Director, Dean Cartledge commented, “We are all physically and mentally exhausted after what was a far more difficult challenge than we ever imagined, but I’m proud to say that the 4Com spirit shone through until the end. Once again, on behalf of the team I’d like to thank everyone for their generous donations and support.”
Daron Hutt 4Com Chairman said “Linwood School have extremely restricted outside areas to provide a safe area for their children to play in, 41% of the children at Linwood School are from financially disadvantaged families and all of the children that attend Linwood School have a varying degree of learning disability. 4Com would like to transform the currently inadequate outside environment for the children, the current site is surrounded by residential houses and split in the middle by a busy road. We are able to make a difference, so we pledge to do so.”
Installing an outdoor gym and climbing wall for the 232 children that attend the school will go a small way in providing high quality learning outside the classroom. It will also promote physical, social, emotional and sensory development and most of all improve children’s self-esteem and confidence.
The total cost of this project is £23,307.25, which means there is still £5803.61 to go. The 4Com Foundation, a charitable group set up by 4Com staff members are aiming to get the rest of the money by organising other events including a sky dive. These activities will be completed in early autumn where 4Com hope to release the good news that the total has been achieved.
You can still donate at: https://www.justgiving.com/4Forty.
About Linwood School
Linwood School in Winton, Dorset are aiming to raise in excess of £100,000 to install three multi-function, multi-sensory outdoor recreation and learning areas. This will assist their 232 pupils with severe learning and physical disabilities to make use of available outdoor space, changing their school lives dramatically.
About Variety the Children’s Charity
All over the UK there are children who have to cope with sickness, disability or disadvantage. It’s tough. Really tough.
Variety provide practical, tangible help that makes an immediate difference to those children and their families.
