A group of runners raised over £400 for Stone’s STING charity at this year’s 2015 Morrisons Great Birmingham Run.
In the 20,000-strong field was a team of eight runners from Wincanton in Stafford who were running to raise money for their Charity of the Year – Stone-based STING (Staffordshire Therapeutic Independent Neurological Group). The runners, clad in their newly designed running tops with the buzzing bee logo, were fortunate that the weather was cool but dry, allowing for a ‘comfortable’ event, and all completed the course with good times – some achieving personal bests for the half-marathon distance!
The Wincanton team included Gez Prendergast, Tom Heath, Dan Gwilliam, Dave Glover, John Waldren, Tony Hill, Dan Bennett and Chris Salmon. Most were running the event for the first time, and their stalwart efforts raised over £400 in sponsorship tor STING.
The Wincanton National distribution centre for Screwfix, located on Prologis Park in Stafford, has pledged to support local charity STING with its fundraising activities this year. Each year Wincanton chooses a charity to raise funds for, and so far this year over £12,000 has been raised from a range of activities carried out by the generous workforce in the warehouse.
Gez Prendergast, Team Manager at Wincanton, also runs the Fundraising Group and was one of the runners in the great Birmingham Run. “It’s been great to be able to support a worthwhile local charity like STING” he explains. “The team at Wincanton is always very generous towards the charity we choose to support each year, and to be helping a small local group such as STING allows our fundraising efforts to make a far bigger difference.”
Gez’s run ended in his normal ‘others before self’ style when he helped a struggling fellow competitor to cross the finishing line after he spotted the runner in a state of near collapse! As well as helping other runners, Gez has been instrumental in the work of the Fundraising Group whose activities have allowed STING to continue its vital work in the region.
STING works to support anybody in the area with a neurological condition, which includes multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and many other conditions. The group operates from Unit 22b on Whitebridge Estate in Stone, which is fully adapted for disabled and wheelchair access allowing members to attend regular activities and take part in group discussions, wellbeing sessions, and exercise classes, as well as being able to access neurological therapies.
For more information about STING email stings2014@gmail.com, call 07847 872635, or check out their Facebook page which gives details of the group’s activities and when they meet.
