Staff at Timberwolf, the UK’s leading wood chipper manufacturer based in Stowmarket, have been busy taking part in a host of fundraising activities to support brain injury charity Headway Suffolk.
Timberwolf chose Headway Suffolk as their charity of the year and had various fundraising events planned before the COVID-19 lockdown, meaning all of these activities had to be either postponed or cancelled. However, undeterred, four employees have taken up their own challenges.
Antony Alexander had hoped to enter various power lifting competitions during the summer but instead he utilised his power lifting training to raise money by donating £1 for every kg he lifted on the three standard power lifting competition lifts – squat, bench press and deadlift.
Martin Wells was going to take part in the Orwell Challenge, a walk of 25 miles, but after this was cancelled he decided to train even harder and take on the Peddars Way, an epic walk of 46 miles along an ancient road through Suffolk and Norfolk that dates back to the Bronze Age during the weekend of 11-12 July.
Sharon Myhill and Trish Stephenson had also planned on taking part in the Orwell Challenge, but instead they have been making the most of the fantastic weather by walking over 84,000 steps a week over two months, an average of 12,000 steps a day and an astonishing 732,000 steps in total.
Last year, Timberwolf were the biggest winners in the Suffolk Business Awards, winning both the Business of the Year and Large Business of the Year awards.
The team at Timberwolf, who are the largest seller of commercial wood chippers in the UK, have already raised over a fantastic £1,700. Their sponsorship page is: uk.virginmoneygiving.com/Timberwolf.
Trish Stephenson, HR Administrator at Timberwolf, said: “Timberwolf are keen to support local charities, and this year our employees voted to support Headway Suffolk as their charity of the year for 2020.”
“Headway Suffolk work tirelessly to care for and rehabilitate those in need of their services. Having completed our challenges and feeling a lot healthier, we are now planning further fundraising events for them. This will include running a library during 2020 for our employees and donating into our fundraising pot to borrow a favourite read.”
David Crane, communications and marketing officer at Headway Suffolk, said: “We are incredibly grateful to Timberwolf for their support of Headway Suffolk and for their commitment to fundraise and adapt their events due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“Relationships with local and highly-respected companies like Timberwolf help us to raise awareness of the vital work of Headway Suffolk and the wide-ranging rehabilitation services available to people living with brain injuries, strokes and neurological conditions and their families, such as our hubs, community support and clinical therapies.
“We are very impressed by Timberwolf’s set up in Stowmarket and the great work they do. We really value them choosing us as their charity of the year and all the hard work Antony, Martin, Sharon and Trish and all their team have put in this year and continue to do so.”
Headway Suffolk is a registered charity that provides specialist rehabilitation, therapy and support services to brain injury and stroke survivors and those with neurological conditions and their families in Suffolk.
Eight people a day suffer a brain injury or a stroke in Suffolk, with the most prevalent caused due to a road traffic accident, assault or fall. Physical, cognitive, emotional and behavioural effects of brain injury can have devastating consequences for individuals and their families.