Dedicated charity worker goes extra mile for Sick Children’s Trust

A charity worker is going the extra 170 miles as he straps up and gets ready to set off on his Coast – Castle cycle challenge which will take him from Gateshead to Edinburgh in just three days.

Andrew Leadbitter, from Chester-Le-Street, will be setting off tomorrow morning on a challenge of a lifetime as he conquers 170 miles – over 55 miles per day – to raise money for the charity he works for, The Sick Children’s Trust, that supports the families of sick children.

The dedicated House Manager, who runs Scott House which supports the Freeman Hospital, Newcastle, will be joined by 26 friends in order to raise as much money as possible for the charity which provides free high-quality ‘Home from Home’ accommodation, as well as emotional and practical support, for families who have seriously ill children in hospital.

Andrew says: “We’re hoping to raise around £3000 so that we can provide a room in Scott House for a year. It costs on average £28 per night for a family to stay at the house which is made possible by people who fundraise and donate to us.

“This job is one of the most rewarding jobs I’ve ever had. Every day, I personally see the difference Scott House makes to so many families, not just across the region, but across the country.

“The feedback we receive is amazing and it inspires us to continue the great work we are doing for families with sick children.”

Every year, Andrew and his friends tackle one of the country’s most popular cycle routes to raise money for charity. Previously, the team have completed the Coast to Coast twice and the Walney to Wear. 

Andrew continues: “This is a completely new challenge that our team has never done before and arguably the toughest. When I started working for The Sick Children’s Trust in September and told my friends just what the charity does, immediately everyone voted that we should do the next ride for them.”

Jane Featherstone, CEO, says: “We’re really rooting for Andrew and know he’s going to do a fantastic job on his cycle. It’s a big challenge to complete all those miles over three days, but we know he’ll do it no problem.”

The Sick Children’s Trust relies entirely on donations and £28 provides a room in a ‘Home from Home’ for a family for one night. The money raised by Andrew and the team will continue to help families during a difficult time in their lives. You can support Andrew's challenge here.