Higgs races to Rio for charity

THE thought of cycling from Brierley Hill to Rio may be daunting for some, but not for the team at law firm Higgs & Sons which took to their bikes to raise money for the Prince’s Trust.
 
Nineteen partners raced 19 members of staff in a head to head on exercise bikes in the atrium of the firm’s Brierley Hill headquarters to see who could reach Rio first. The Rio they were aiming for was the house of former Manchester United skipper Rio Ferdinand in the north of England.
 
Honor Giles, a trainee lawyer at the firm, helped organise the charity event. She said: “The event was lots of fun and we raised £1,022 on the day for the Prince’s Trust.
 
“Brazilian-themed cakes were on sale throughout the day and we finished the race with a drinks celebration. In total, both teams cycled more than 250 miles each, with the partners’ team winning by just 0.4 miles in the allotted time.”
 

Trust Group MD back in the saddle for children’s charity

THE managing director of a leading West Midlands motor business is getting back in the saddle for his third – and final – charity bike ride.

Andrew Hockedy, MD of Trust Group UK with Volkswagen dealerships in Wolverhampton, Stourbridge and Redditch, is set to take part in a sponsored London to Paris Bike Ride.

Raising funds for Action Medical Research, a national charity that saves and changes the lives of children through medical research, Andrew has set himself a target of £1,600.

That will see him push his personal fundraising beyond the £7,000 mark for his ‘Hockedy Trilogy’.  Previously, he raised a combined total of more than £5,400 by cycling the inaugural Warwick 100 and completing an epic Lands End to John O’Groats ride.

He said: “My third and final ride is London to Paris and although under 300 miles it is still a challenge.

“With four days to complete it in and a mass finish under the Arc de Triomphe I am looking forward to testing myself again as well as raising vital funds for this great charity that really does put the money to such positive good use.”

Coventry firm’s fundraiser given the royal seal of approval

THE Wigley Group has hosted its annual celeb-am golf open & gala dinner, at Staverton Park near Daventry, in aid of the Afghanistan Trust.

The evening gala dinner was presented by former paratrooper and leading darts announcer John McDonald and included a video address by Prince Charles who talked about the inspirational work carried out by those serving in the armed forces.

Members of England’s winning 1966 football side were also swinging a club to celebrate this year’s World Cup.

Those teeing off for the Wigley Group Open were joined by a number of sporting celebrities including 16-time World Darts Champion Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor along with other stars from the snooker and boxing worlds.

All of the proceeds raised at the event, sponsored by Mercedes Benz of Stratford-upon-Avon along with Ben Ross Golf and Target Darts, will be donated to the Afghanistan Trust which helps to support soldiers and their families who served with the Parachute Regiment in Afghanistan and who have been wounded or killed as a result.

Blind veterans receive vital support

A BIRMINGHAM veteran of the Falklands War has accepted a donation from employment and training business Pertemps People Development Group (PPDG) on behalf of a national charity for blind ex-service personnel.
 
Terry Bullingham joined the Royal Navy aged 24 and served for 22 years, becoming a chief petty officer before war was declared and his ship HMS Antrim was deployed to the Falklands.
 
Terry was active on the flight deck when an exploding shell changed his life in an instant, severely injuring him and, crucially, taking away his sight.

Terry, who now lives in Bearwood, Birmingham, recently met up with employment and training specialists PPDG to receive a cheque for £400.
 
PPDG spokesman Phil Pemble said: “Our contribution will help provide a welfare officer to support Terry and other service users in the wider West Midlands.

“It’s reassuring to know that charities like Blind Veterans UK are there to assist beneficiaries like Terry overcome any difficulties they encounter.”