Generous employees at Domestic & General’s Bedworth office have been baking, holding fundraiser days and taking part in sporting challenges to raise an impressive £14,000 for their chosen local charity over the last financial year.
As a result of the funds appliance care firm Domestic & General has raised for Abbie’s Hideaway, 105 children and their families will be able to take some much needed respite from having a terminal illness.
Abbie’s Hideaway provides free holidays for families caring for terminally ill children. It was set up by Melissa Ginns and Ian Mustard following the loss of Ian’s 16-year-old daughter Abbie from acute promyelocytic leukaemia in 2013.
The Leicester Street office has been rallying to raise the funds and awareness of the charity throughout 2015/16.
Tracey Naughton, Bedworth site lead at Domestic & General, said: “This is a huge achievement and we would like to take the opportunity to thank all of our staff and those who gave generously to help us raise this sum.
“Each day we are there for our customers when they need us most to take the worry out of breakdowns, this year we have put our all into helping our chosen local charity, Abbie’s Hideaway, to help families make memories and have some respite from being carers.
“The partnership is a cause close to our hearts with the charity doing some great work in our area. We are delighted to have raised enough to cover the charity’s running costs for three years. We hope this will help Abbie’s Hideaway to continue the excellent work that it does.”
The ‘hideaway’ is a purpose bought caravan in Mablethorpe where families can spend quality time together on holiday.
A fundraising fete held by Domestic & General for the charity saw employees invite members of the public to attend and donate money through a number of stalls and activities, such as bric-a-brac, cake sales, book and CD sales, as well as firm fete favourites, hoopla, tombola and a children's lucky dip. The fete alone raised £2,100.
Ian Mustard, director of Abbie’s Hideaway, said: “Firstly we cannot thank the staff and board from Domestic & General enough, their hard work and commitment surpasses any expectations we may have had going into 2015. We are astounded by the level of generosity in terms of time and effort by the staff and the immense kindness shown by the board topping up the already magnificent sum raised by the staff.
“The donations will enable some 105 children suffering from cancer/leukaemia to enjoy a break and regroup ready to fight on. It will also mean a further 700 to 800 individuals will accompany these children and make their own memories.
“What has been the highlight for us is the very fact that even in the office of D&G alone we raised awareness . . . who in turn told their partners, friends and family, making the total awareness peak at thousands through one company alone.
“The team at Abbie's Hideaway will always be eternally grateful and like to consider the D&G team as friends; when we were low we felt we had an army behind us, that's the strength they gave and will never be forgotten.”