Fittleworth Medical staff set 35-hour charity challenge to celebrate 35th anniversary

Exercise bikes and cross training machines were placed in the company’s Littlehampton and Nottingham offices and 150 members of staff pedalled and pushed their way to more than double their target, collectively achieving more than 74 hours of exercise and covering a total of 1,788km.

A number of the employees have friends and family who have received care from St Barnabas House in Worthing.

Gaby Day, client engagement team leader, lives in Littlehampton and has benefited from the support of the Hospice at Home team, having lost two family members this year.

Gaby said: “The support my family received from St Barnabas was second to none. The nurses came over three times a day and they were so kind, reassuring and helpful. It was a huge relief having them around.

“As well as caring for my relative, they always asked if the rest of the family were okay, too. The nurses would offer to make hot drinks and always had the time to sit and chat with us and help us understand our relative’s slow decline.

“St Barnabas made a devastating situation more bearable and I can’t thank them enough. Raising money for this fantastic charity means they can support another family through a life-changing situation. I don’t know what we would have done without them.”

The company provides home dispensing and clinical advice services and the challenge set was to complete 35 hours of exercise to mark the 35th anniversary.

Jo Bacon, community fundraising officer at St Barnabas House, said: “The generosity of our corporate supporters allows us to continue to provide our vital services and the £3,500 they have raised is enough to provide a whole day of Hospice at Home care for 23 patients and support for their families.”