Wigley Group comes to the aid of Paralympics hopeful

A COVENTRY-based property and risk management company is celebrating 50 years in business by supporting a Paralympic cyclist on his journey to the Paralympic Games in Rio.

The Wigley Group, which is based at Middlemarch Business Park in Coventry, is supporting Jaco van Gass, an injured ex-serviceman who is a member of the GB Paralympic development cycling team.

As part of the sponsorship, the firm will purchase a new bicycle for the athlete in the hope that it will help him to secure a spot in the GB Paralympic cycling team and compete in the 2016 Paralympic Games.

Van Gass, who left the army after suffering severe injuries whilst serving in Afghanistan, now trains as part of the Paralympic development programme which aims to produce the next generation of Paralympic champions.

Rob Wigley, managing director at the Wigley Group, said: “We first made contact with Jaco through the Afghan Trust which is our sponsored charity.

“He gave an enlightening speech during our annual golf day about the experiences and challenges he has faced throughout his journey and we wanted to help him score a place on the GB Paralympic cycling team.

“It is really important that we inspire and invest in the next generation of Olympic and Paralympic stars.”

Blues show support for The British Polio Fellowship

A BACK to the ‘90s event at Birmingham City Football Club saw the club’s Former Players Association donate £1,000 to charity The British Polio Fellowship.

The donation comes 55 years after Blues legend Jeff Hall died of polio in 1959. The donation was presented on the night by the chairman of the Former Players Association Tom Ross and accepted by the charity’s newly elected chair of trustees Bryan Rowley.

BCFC and The British Polio Fellowship joined forces earlier this year to present the charity’s Barbara Wood Citizenship Award to Jeff Hall’s widow, Dawn Clements.

The club’s polio connection goes all the way back to 1959 when Jeff succumbed to the disease following an away game at Portsmouth.

The Back to the ‘90s evening was just the latest in a series of events where the club has supported the charity this year.

BHSF puts boots on for St Basil’s

BIRMINGHAM-based health insurance and employee benefits firm BHSF has raised cash for homeless charity St Basil’s.

The charity has benefited to the tune of £4,432 this year from this year’s long-distance Forest of Dean walking challenge by employees of the firm.

For the 2015 challenge, St. Basil’s has chosen the Peak District in Derbyshire for its yomp.

Staff have already lined up to register their support and BHSF chief executive Peter Maskell said: “It’s quite amazing how our people so readily volunteer for what is a back-breaking task to raise money for St. Basil’s.”

Lucy Hackett, head of fundraising at St Basil’s, said: “Peter and his staff have worked dedicatedly for St Basil’s over the years and we are delighted that they continue to support the walk and many of our other sponsored projects.”

Raver tackles half marathon to raise funds for cancer charity

AN employee at Coventry-based customer engagement specialist Rant & Rave exceeded her fundraising target as she tackled her first half marathon for charity.

She raised £1,700 for Prostate Cancer UK.

Colleen Humphries was inspired to sign up to the challenge after her partner Alan was diagnosed with an aggressive, advanced form of the disease.

She said: “Until Alan’s diagnosis I barely knew anything about prostate cancer but it turns out it is the most common form of cancer for men in the UK, with over 40,000 people diagnosed every year.

“There is a high survival rate if identified in the early stages, but unfortunately for my Alan his diagnosis came too late. He is now among the minority of sufferers where it can’t be cured, but can be kept under control.

“Completing the run was my chance to show my support for Alan and hopefully to get more people to know about the perils of this terrible disease.”