Bowers Group Marketing Manager Ellie Skinner is preparing for the challenge of a lifetime as she takes on an 11-day trek to Everest Base Camp, situated at an altitude of 5,364 meters (17,598 feet) at the foot of the world’s highest peak. The trek, planned for September 2025, will see Ellie journey through the breathtaking Khumbu Valley in the Himalayas, pushing her physical and mental limits to achieve a remarkable personal milestone.
Fundraising for Holbeach Hospital
Ellie, who now lives in Sheffield, is undertaking this incredible challenge to raise much-needed funds for Holbeach Hospital, a cause that holds deep personal significance. She is training for the trek in the nearby Peak District, making use of the area’s rugged terrain to build her fitness and endurance.
Her journey is a heartfelt tribute to her late father, Kevin Storey, who passed away on 17th March 2023 after battling Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Kevin spent his final weeks in the compassionate care of Holbeach Hospital, a facility that has supported multiple generations of Ellie’s family.
Ellie explains: “Fundraising for Holbeach Hospital means a great deal to me. My Father Kevin and his mother Beryl (my Grandmother) both spent the final few weeks of their lives in Holbeach Hospital. Not only that, my late Grandfather Bernard (Kevin’s father) also spent some time in Holbeach Hospital for respite care. I’m so grateful for the care that they were able to give Dad, and the support and kindness we received as a family. It means the world to me to be able to give something back to a cause very close to my heart.”
Ellie’s goal is to highlight the invaluable care and support Holbeach Hospital provides to patients and their families while inspiring others to contribute to this vital community resource.
The Group supported this year’s Comic Relief with various activities across the Sheffield, Bradford and Camberley sites on Friday 15th March. In Atlas, the Spear & Jackson Bake-Off took place, and staff channelled their inner Paul Hollywood to enter a home baked treat into the competition. Cakes and bakes were sold at £1 each and all funds raised were donated to Comic Relief. Sylwia Borowska won the well deserved Bake-Off crown with her amazing bake.
Bake Off Competition
The Bowers Bradford site also held their very own Bake-Off competition, with Karen Hobson crowned the worthy winner, as well as the opportunity to put fellow colleagues in the stocks! People were also welcome to wear red in support of Comic Relief.
Thanks to everyone who contributed and donated to raising a total of £530.59, which the Group topped up to £1,000!
After last year’s successful team effort, employees from across the Spear & Jackson group are once again preparing to take on the punishing Sheffield Half Marathon in aid of the British Heart Foundation.
Taking place on Sunday 27th March 2022, with a city centre start and finish, a huge crowd of enthusiastic supporters will cheer participants out and back for the annual race.
This year, Team S&J will see an impressive team of 10 employees from across the group take on the half marathon, with runners from Eclipse Magnetics, Bowers Group and the Corporate Office joining in.
Head of HR for the Spear & Jackson Group, and Team S&J runner, Katie Weller, said: “Last year we managed to raise an incredible amount for The Children’s Charity, and this year we’re focusing our fundraising efforts on the British Heart Foundation. The BHF has the ability to change so many lives and we’re looking forward to hitting the hills of Sheffield once again for such a fantastic cause.”
If you’d like to sponsor our incredible team of superstars, please visit our Just Giving page, here.
