Colleagues at Arun Estates in Horsham go the extra mile for Action Medical Research

On Wednesday August 22, team members from the customer and property care department took it in turns to ride on static bikes or rowing machines outside their offices in North Street from 8am until 6pm.

Their aim was to once again travel 735 miles, which is the equivalent of Horsham to Malaga.

“We were determined to give it another go,” said assistant manager Ryan Winn. “We were in the bandstand in the Carfax on Thursday August 9, but it poured with rain the whole day.”

And so the team set up its mini outdoor gym and repeated the challenge.

Ryan said they were really pleased with the public’s support: “We’ve used this location to fundraise for Action the last two or three years and it’s amazing how many people wander past and ask us what’s going on!

“We got quite a few beeps from passing traffic and lots of positive messages of support which was brilliant. I’m just pleased the weather was a bit kinder to us this time around.”

The combined total amount raised by Arun Estates for Action Medical Research was just over £900.

The UK-wide children’s charity funds desperately needed research to tackle the diseases that devastate the lives of so many of our children. It has been funding medical breakthroughs since it began in 1952 including helping to introduce the first polio vaccines in the UK, developing the use of ultrasound in pregnancy and testing the rubella vaccine.

Last year Arun Estates held a similar ‘Big Event’ in Horsham where it took to rowing machines and exercise bikes in North Street in an effort to travel the equivalent of Edinburgh – Paris. And in July, two members took part in a 24-hour ‘squash-a-thon’ at the Bluecoats sports centre in Christs Hospital.

Action’s head of relationship fundraising, Toby Tenant, said: “Arun Estates has been supporting Action for a number of years now. You certainly can’t question their commitment to raising funds.

“On behalf of the charity I’d like to thank everyone who took part in these two fantastic challenges, as well as those who gave generously and contributed to their impressive fundraising total.”

Action Medical Research is currently funding research into areas including premature birth, epilepsy, asthma, scarlet fever, cerebral palsy, brain cancer and some rare and distressing conditions.

For more information about the charity, visit www.action.org.uk