A £60,000 fundraising drive has kicked off this week with the announcement of a new sponsor.
The Basingstoke Big Wheel, in aid of St Michael’s Hospice, will now be sponsored by IT products distributor Computer 2000. Around 1,200 cyclists take on the annual charity challenge, following three routes of five, 25 or 50 miles across north Hampshire.
Computer 2000, a Basingstoke company, has donated funds which will go towards the cost of staging the event, meaning more money raised by participants will go towards the hospice’s running costs. The Big Wheel, in its 16th year, takes place on Sunday, July 18 and is one of St Michael’s biggest fundraisers.
Jenny Collins, Corporate Fundraiser at St Michael’s Hospice, said: “We are really pleased that Computer 2000 has decided to sponsor Big Wheel this year and we would like to extend our gratitude to them for choosing to support St Michael’s in this way. Events such as the Big Wheel are really important in the Hospice fundraising calendar as its such a great way to get the local economy active and involved in their local hospice. It’s also fantastic that a Basingstoke company is choosing to support a local charity and the community by sponsoring such an event.”
St Michaels Hospice has annual running costs of around £2.6million a year – of which £1.8million needs to be raised through fundraising, legacies and its shops.
“Commenting on behalf of Computer 2000, Jackie Brownlee, HR Director, added: “St Michaels Hospice provides an invaluable service to the local community in Basingstoke and Computer 2000 is proud to be sponsoring the event this year. Several of our staff who live in the area will be taking part themselves and we hope even more people will get on their bikes and support the Big Wheel this year.”
For more information on the Big Wheel or to register, visit www.stmichaelshospice.org.uk/events or call the fundraising team on 01256 848848.
