UPDATED: Huntingdon colleagues smash fundraising target with 25km trek

Huntingdon train station staff have raised hundreds of pounds for the British Heart Foundation (BHF) after a colleague’s father suffered four heart attacks in one year.

Great Northern colleagues Fiona Blackwell, Dean Cole, Tony Cupoli, Phil Barrell, Alastair Crane, Lorraine Weights and Sam Green tackled the 25km Thames Bridges Trek from Bishops Park along the Thames Path on Saturday, September 7.

The ‘Huntingdon Sparkles,’ as they are known, set themselves a fundraising target of £840 and have managed to raise an impressive £1,652.

Station Assistant Phil Barrell came up with the idea of taking part in a trek for the BHF after his dad suffered a major heart attack followed by a series of minor attacks about five years ago when he was in his late 50s.

Father-of-two Phil, 35, said: “I’m thankful there is medication to help him with his blood pressure, and this wouldn’t have been available had it not been for research. I’m thankful for all the research that the BHF carries out.”

Phil added: "The walk went really well. We completed it in six and a half hours with feet and legs hurting. It was great fun with all the team."

BHF’s Nichola Whymark, Area Fundraising Manager for the East, said: “Walking 25km over 16 bridges in one day is no easy task so we’re honoured that the Huntingdon Sparkles have taken on the Thames Bridges Trek challenge for the BHF.

“They’ve done brilliantly to smash their fundraising target. This will help fund life-saving research into heart and circulatory diseases including heart disease, stroke and vascular dementia, and their risk factors like type 2 diabetes.

“As we don’t receive any government funding, we rely entirely on the public’s enormous generosity to help fund our vital research. Every penny you give really does count so we urge everyone to keep donating to Huntingdon Sparkles throughout their challenge to support the team,” Nichola added.

To donate, visit https://www.justgiving.com/companyteams/Huntingdon

ENDS