Thameslink and Great Northern staff hatch eggs-cellent charity effort

Railway staff from Thameslink and Great Northern have hatched and delivered an eggs-cellent plan to collect over 900 Easter eggs for Keech Hospice Care to use in a fundraising drive.

The hospice, which is based in Luton and caters for children and adults with life-limiting conditions from Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire, launched an appeal for creme eggs so that their fundraising knitted chicks each come with an egg.

Staff rose to the challenge donating 451 eggs between them and this figure was then matched by the company.

Station Manager Sara Turner and On Board Services Manager Colin Latimer Parry co-ordinated the collection across the different parts of the route and presented the donation to Keech this Monday.

Sara said: “We were amazed by the generosity of staff across the network to support Keech's work - we never expected to have so many eggs to donate.”

Colin added: “Keech supports a lot of families during very difficult times. We are really pleased with how many of our teams got involved and the number of eggs donated.”

Thameslink and Great Northern staff chose Keech Hospice Care as their corporate charity last year. Passenger Service Director Stuart Cheshire said: “Since last summer our teams have helped raise over £1,000 for Keech and I'm delighted to see even more people getting involved to support their wonderful work. I am really proud of everyone who has gone out of their way to support this cause.”

Caron Hooper, Corporate Partnership Fundraiser at Keech, said: “We have been overwhelmed by the support from Thameslink and Great Northern. We are so pleased. As we receive only 30% funding from the NHS, support like this really makes a difference to our children and adults when it matters most.”

In addition to the funds raised so far, staff from across the company will raise more money later in the year through a Charities Week.

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