​Thameslink and Great Northern choose Keech Hospice Care as corporate charity

Thameslink and Great Northern staff have chosen Luton-based good cause Keech Hospice Care as their new corporate charity, and have made a donation of £747 to get the fundraising ball rolling.

Keech Hospice Care was nominated by Environment Manager Adrian Hodges in recognition of all the support it gives to life-limited and terminally ill adults and children across Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Milton Keynes, where many of the company’s services run.

It was one of three good causes shortlisted by staff and for every vote cast when they completed an employee survey, the company made a £1 donation to that charity. In total, 747 staff voted for Keech Hospice Care – the highest number of votes.

Voting in the employee survey also raised £513 for the Beds and Northants Multiple Sclerosis therapy centre and £508 for Huntingdon Mencap.

Speaking at the cheque presentation at the hospice, Corporate Partnerships Fundraiser Caron Hooper said: “This money really makes such a massive difference to our children and adults who use our services. This donation will pay for 24 hours of care for a child or adult, or five visits by a nurse to a child in the community. As a charity, we are very grateful for this support.”

Andy Harrowell, the company’s Community Investment and CSR Manager, who made the donation on Adrian’s behalf, added: “It was wonderful to see the great lengths that Keech Hospice Care goes to supporting individuals and their families at very difficult times. There are some wonderful facilities at the hospice and we are glad our donation can help support the important work there.”

Thameslink and Great Northern will now look at ways to further support Keech Hospice Care. Staff from the company are already helping to raise funds during the festive period, including the company choir carol singing at stations.

Alongside this, Thameslink and Great Northern will once again run a dedicated Charities Week, similar to the one held in April this year. Over seven days, staff from across the business came together in a variety of ways to raise £3,361 for the previous corporate good causes. The funds were raised through cake sales, quizzes and staff cycling the distance from Brighton to St Neots on two exercise bikes at Blackfriars.

You can find out more about Keech at www.keech.org.uk.

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