Southern engineers smash fundraising target for Great Ormond Street Hospital

This is a follow-up to a press release issued last week.

Five engineers from Southern are delighted to have smashed their fundraising target for Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) after taking part in the London to Brighton bike ride on Sunday.

The colleagues, who are based at Selhurst near Croydon, enjoyed a well-deserved ‘gut-buster’ breakfast yesterday morning after completing the 54-mile cycle ride in the rain on Sunday, June 16.

Production Leaders Tom Mills, 28, Jon Dye, 40, Dean Lucas, 35, and Service Engineers Jerome Matthew, 34, and Joseph Wood, 24, had hoped to raise £2,000 but they have exceeded all expectations by raising well over £3,000 after taking part in the ride organised by the British Heart Foundation.

Laura Savory, Deputy Director of Community Fundraising at GOSH, said: “We’re really grateful to everyone who chooses to raise money, which helps us support seriously ill children from across the UK cared for at Great Ormond Street Hospital. Money raised will support the hospital’s most urgent needs, from pioneering research and state-of-the-art medical equipment, to support services and the vital rebuilding and refurbishment of the hospital.”

The Selhurst team chose to support GOSH after learning how the hospital had supported a number of their colleagues. Prior to the cycle, father-of-two Tom said: “The things GOSH does are marvellous. None of the team have been immediately affected, but our colleagues have. I haven’t cycled this far before. Before Sunday, the farthest I had cycled was 10 miles. The others are like me. Since we signed up, the most we have ridden is about 15 miles!”

To keep their strength up, each cyclist took four bananas, two bottles of water and electrolyte gel.

Speaking after the event, Tom said: “We all made it! We’re all back at work. No-one got injured thankfully. We found the ride OK, but it was a shame about the weather. They read out your name as you cross the finish line and everyone is clapping and cheering, which is lovely.”

The team are delighted to have beaten their fundraising target.

On their JustGiving page, they say: “We have chosen to do the London to Brighton for the Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital Charity as we have multiple fathers in the repair shop that have had help from the Great Ormond Street Charity.

“The work this charity does helps many other hospitals across the UK when it comes to children and babies, so you may not even realise it but your child could have been helped by this charity in one way or another. If you are lucky enough to have never needed support from this charity, then please remember how lucky you are and still donate what you can.”

It is not the first time workers at the Selhurst Repair Shop have rallied round to support worthy causes. Back in October last year, over £7,000 was raised for Cancer Research after a colleague sadly passed away.

To support the team, you can make a donation at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/repairshop-champions2019