The contractor makes a donation every year to its two main charities, the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital and Help for Heroes, in lieu of sending cards.
This year, the company has also given £500 to Breast Cancer Now, the nominated charity of construction site manager Paul McCall, after he completed a very personal challenge to lose 1.5 stone in eight weeks.
He said: “The lads were joking around after we finished the Vita student project in Liverpool about my middle age spread and I said I needed a good incentive to do something about it. Some of the guys said they’d give money to a charity of my choice if I lost a stone-and-a-half for Christmas and the boss said the company would put in another £500 if I made it.
“My aunty suffered from breast cancer and she and my mum raise money for breast cancer screening, so that’s the charity I chose. It was really hard work, I ate like a rabbit and did loads of extra exercise, and made it a few weeks before Christmas.”
Paul is delighted with the £500 donation to Breast Cancer Now from the company, and is still collecting the personal donations from his colleagues which will go directly to his aunt’s fundraiser – Be Breast Aware – for a mobile screening unit in their hometown of Middleton.
“It’s amazing the company has given an extra £500 this year, I can’t thank them enough. I’m also really pleased that the lads set me the challenge as I feel great and I’m planning on shifting another stone for the summer.”
Paul will be among 19 members of staff taking part in a Tough Mudder challenge to raise money for the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital in May.
Andrew Russell, director, said: “Paul’s done a great job to reach his goal, he just needed a bit of encouragement to get started. I was happy to support him with the extra donation which, along with the RMCH and Help for Heroes donations, will hopefully help these charities to continue the fantastic job they do.”
