Co-operative Funeralcare Colleagues Complete Ten Mile Walk for Disabled Children

Colleagues from The Co-operative Funeralcare homes in Frome, Warminster and Westbury completed a ten mile walk along the Kennet and Avon Canal to raise £346.72 for the disabled children’s charity, Whizz-Kidz.

There are an estimated 70,000 disabled children and young people in the UK waiting for a wheelchair that fits their young lives. A national charity which operates with a local focus, Whizz-Kidz provides disabled children with the essential wheelchairs and other mobility equipment they need to lead fun and active childhoods.

Karen Coleman, Funeral Co-ordinator for The Southern Co-operative Funeralcare in Westbury said:

“We decided to be quite ambitious with our fundraiser for Whizz-Kidz and embark on a lengthy ten mile walk along the Kennet and Avon Canal. The first five miles were great – the weather was kind and pleasant to us – however for the second half of the walk, the heavens opened up and we got completely drenched! It was all worth it and we remained in high spirits as our sponsored walk managed to raise over £300 for Whizz-Kidz”.

Colleagues from The Southern Co-operative funeral homes in Frome, Warminster and Westbury walked ten miles to raise money for disabled children’s charity, Whizz-Kidz.

The ten mile walk formed part of The Southern Co-operative Funeralcare’s service-wide fundraiser hoping to conclude their charity partnership with Whizz-Kidz, with a bang, adding a cash boost to the £335,000 already raised by The Southern Co-operative.

The fundraiser, ‘Release the Piece’, involves all 59 branches and services from The Southern Co-operative Funeralcare receiving one section of a giant jigsaw puzzle, to ‘Release the Piece’ of the puzzle and to help it form the overall jigsaw image, each branch and service must host a fundraiser in aid of the disabled children’s charity, Whizz-Kidz.

Amanda Wilkinson, Director of Fundraising for Whizz-Kidz said:

“My huge thanks to the colleagues of The Southern Co-operative Funeralcare for their support for Whizz-Kidz. We’re delighted that so many colleagues are getting involved in the ‘Release the Piece’ fundraising challenge, aiming to help the partnership raise an additional £5,000. This fantastic sum is enough to enable us to provide a disabled child with a life-changing powered wheelchair, giving them the freedom and independence they need to enjoy a fun, active childhood.”

Throughout March and April, all 59 branches and services, including their funeral homes, florist, crematorium, masonry and natural burial ground, will be holding local fundraisers, ranging from a colleague car wash with cake, a Race Night, samba band busking and book sales. Once each branch has held its fundraiser, the jigsaw puzzle will be put together by an ambassador from Whizz-Kidz who will announce the total raised for the charity.

Amanda continued:

“The right wheelchair is just the start, The Southern Co-operative is also raising funds to help us deliver our skills training, youth groups, residential camps, and work skills programmes, helping young disabled people gain the skills and opportunities they need to reach their true potential.”