College staff speed past donations target in charity cycle

Team Hopwood celebrate their achievement at the Blackpool finish line

Hopwood Hall College staff passed their £500 fundraising target during the Manchester to Blackpool charity cycle, raising £1,225 in aid of Cancer Research.

Hopwood Hall's team featured 15 staff members from teaching and business support areas, taking on the 100km route.

Cycling the 60 mile route from Media City, Salford to Blackpool's Mirror Ball became something much more than just a charity bike ride for many of the Hopwood Hall College staff members. Having been an integral member of the College since 1999, assistant principal, Lesley Hawkins died in March after a battle with cancer.

Julia Heap, Hopwood Hall College vice principal, who took part in the ride, said: "We have had a difficult year following the death of our colleague and friend Lesley Hawkins, who sadly died from cancer earlier in the year. As this ride was part of our fundraising for Cancer Research it was a very poignant day.

"The team demonstrated a true team spirit supporting, encouraging and lifting each other through some challenging moments during the ride and in the celebrations of both the individual and team successes at the end.

"I am really proud of all those who made it to the start line, it was a challenging day yet made slightly easier as it was full of fun and high spirits and really encapsulated Hopwood Hall College’s core values whilst raising over £1,200 for such a great cause."

The event acted as a sign off for the College's charity campaigns for the 2017/18 academic year, in total staff and students managed to raise £4040.08 for Cancer Research - their chosen charity for the year. The total figure was a combination of over one hundred fundraisers; including cake sales, student events and staff charity dinners.