A team from CALA Homes returned from a trip to Cambodia at the end of December where it took part in the Big Build project, organised by the charity Habitat for Humanity.
The project aims to help tackle poverty by building and renovating homes for vulnerable families.
CALA’s Andrew Aldridge, Rachel Dillon and Craig Leishman raised more than £8,000 for the charity by joining 250 volunteers to build 29 homes in 10 days, for families currently living in informal settlements in the Battambang Province.
Alan Brown, CALA’s group chief executive, said: “We are proud to support this initiative with Habitat For Humanity. The Big Build project makes a huge difference to the lives of the people it supports and I’m delighted that we have been able to play a part in such important work.
“The team found the experience extremely rewarding and we look forward to sending a larger group next year.
Sponsors and supporters of the CALA team included Haymarket Ltd, Oregon Timber Frame Engineering, Voice Business, the Keil Centre, BlueSky Experiences, Avonside Group Services and Access Solutions Scaffolding.
2017 marathon leg raises £30k
A team of cyclists from Dransfield Properties has cycled 400 miles from Copenhagen to Oslo, raising more than £30,000 for charity.
The ride marked the 10th leg of its European cycle marathon, which began in 2007 with a ride from London to Paris.
Over the years the charity cyclists have travelled through Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Portofino, Rome, Dubrovnik, Trieste, Munich, Berlin and Copenhagen, aiming to be back in London – where the challenge started – by 2020.
The pursuit has raised more than £468,000 for charity since it began.
The beneficiaries of the money raised by the 2017 ride include Action Against Cancer and the Dransfield Foundation, which supports improvement works at Stocksbridge Community Leisure Centre, South Yorkshire.
Making up the Dransfield team were Mark Dransfield, Andrew Malley, Simon Bland, Tim Downing, Paul Dransfield, Steve Wilson, Peter Swift and Paul Sutherland. Support drivers included Rob Newman and Paul Anderson.
A special delivery for GOSH children
Residents and staff from Rendall & Rittner spread some Christmas cheer to the young patients at Great Ormond Street Hospital over the holidays by donating more than 500 gifts to the GOSH toy appeal. These included computer tablets, Wii console games, toys, books and even a guitar. The presents were worth almost £6,000.
