Surrey station book-swap boosts Beds and Sussex charities

A book swap scheme run by staff at Whyteleafe station in Surrey has raised £500 for two charities chosen by Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) employees.

The donations from passengers have boosted the money raised by GTR staff for Keech Hospice Care, based in Luton, and the Eastbourne branch of Embrace, to a combined total of more than £25,000 in the past year.

Keech Hospice Care provides specialist care for adults in Luton and South Bedfordshire, and children in Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Milton Keynes facing terminal and life-limiting illnesses. Embrace supports disabled children and children with special needs. Thousands of GTR staff voted to choose the two charities last year.

June Henty, Station Sales Clerk at Whyteleafe, said: "I've been at the station nearly 19 years and we've been running the book stand almost as long. My passengers are very generous, dropping off books and then making small donations when they take one from the collection. It's such a great amount that they have helped us raise, and it’s wonderful to be passing onto such great causes."

Caron Hooper, Corporate Partnerships Fundraiser for Keech Hospice Care, said: “We’re thrilled with the support from the Whyteleafe local community getting on board with this brilliant book-swapping fundraiser. As a charity, Keech Hospice Care depends on 70 per cent of its funding coming from the community for its survival. All of the charity’s services are offered free of charge, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Donations like these will ensure we can keep providing all of our services to our adults and children at a time in their lives when they need us most.”

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Notes to editors

For more information about GTR's company charities, visit: www.keech.org.uk; http://embracees.org.uk/

For more information about GTR, email press.office@gtrailway.com or call

Southern and Gatwick Express press office: 0203 750 2030

Thameslink and Great Northern press office: 0203 750 2031