Horticulturists achieve over 11 million steps and raise over £700 during March for Cancer Research
Staff at one of the UK’s largest nurseries, Johnsons of Whixley have achieved over 11 million steps during March as part of the Cancer Research Walk All Over Cancer Challenge.
The Yorkshire nursery staff involved in the challenge raised a combined amount of £736.50 for the Cancer Research Charity and achieved a combined step count of 11.4 million steps.
28 members of staff at the nursery pledged to walk 10,000 steps each day during March and an internal challenge was organized where staff members merged into teams of four. The team with the most steps during March won a prize from the company.
The winning team ‘Retatch’ included Steven Morton, Matt Campey, Katalin Dacre and Martyn Osbourne who achieved a whopping 2.3 million steps combined.
The team were able to rack up their steps during the working day on the nursery with the average outside worker clocking up 10,000-15,000 steps per day, they would then go for additional walks on an evening and weekend.
Staff taking part in the challenge also included Hannah Holland, Hannah Smith, Katie Short, Frances Whyte, Sarah Greenwood, Hannah Smith(2), Vicky Newell, Tony Coles, Andrew Barker, Adrian Price, Rob Forrester, Terry Cooper, Eleanor Richardson, Rachael McPherson, Chris Davis, Tracey Richardson, Tom Chilton, Mick Huby, Russ Berkley, Alex Harmon, Isaac Onions, Claire Horner, Jonathan Richardson and Dmytro Orlov.
All staff taking part received a cancer-research t-shirt, Johnson’s water bottle and a certificate for completing the month’s challenge.
Marketing Manager and challenge organizer, Eleanor Richardson said: “ The walking challenge has had many benefits, from team building to improved mental health. Staff have been walking together on a lunchtime, purposely going further afield for walks on evenings and weekends and have all felt the benefits mentally and physically.
Not to mention the positive impact the fundraising has provided too knowing we have raised vital funds for the world’s leading cancer charity dedicated to saving lives through research. We are over the moon with the funds raised which is what this challenge was all about.”
Cancer Research is the world’s leading cancer charity dedicated to saving lives through research, influence and information. The funding supports anything from a new research centre to glass slides that are used to analyse cancer cells. Globally cancer research invests 400 million dollars each year across prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Over the last 40 years, cancer survival rates in the UK have doubled. In the 1970s just 1 in 4 people survived their disease for 10 years or more. Today 2 in 4 survive. cancer researchers’ ambition is to accelerate progress and see 3 in 4 patients survive the disease by 2034.