WORKERS at businesses across the county are being urged to pull on their running shoes in a bid to raise funds for sick children.
Oxfordshire companies are forming teams to take on the annual OX5 run for Oxford Children’s Hospital at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock on March 10.
Spearheading the bid to make more than last year’s total of £60,000 is a six-strong team from Cowley-based recruitment company and OX5 sponsors Allen Associates.
Beth Lovell, 22, from Bicester, Oxford resident Hannah Bush, 25, Hannah Mcilvennie, 25, from Didcot, Katy Miles, 36, from Oxford, and Elle Curry, 39, from Stadhampton, are being led by managing director of the company, Kate Allen, 51, to raise £1,000.
Allen Associates is one of 21 Oxfordshire businesses which have raised teams to run the five miles and bring in the cash.
Mrs Allen, from Barnard Gate in west Oxfordshire, said: “The money raised by the charity is used to fund extra equipment, staff and projects that will help achieve a better quality of life for both the sick children and their parents.”
A dad-of-two at Cassington-based creative agency Torpedo, Joe Moore from Yarnton, is also among the fundraisers.
Colleagues at Torpedo chose the Oxford Children’s Hospital as their charity of the year after his one-year-old daughter Betsy had a kidney operation there in November.
The 39-year-old said: “Everyone at the Oxford Children’s Hospital does such an amazing job for children throughout Oxfordshire and the UK so I really wanted to give something back this year in recognition of the superb care they provided to my daughter.”
He has so far raised £300.
Medical education and research specialist Doctors.net.uk, based at Milton Park near Didcot, entered a 10-strong team.
Senior marketing executive at the company Laura Reynolds said: “This is the third time I have done it. One of our team, Rick Pullinger, is a surgeon in the accident and emergency department of the John Radcliffe, so there is a direct link with the hospital.”
Jo Sensecall from Witney-based STL Communications has also rallied a team of 12 to raise funds.
She said: “We have raised £490 already. Luckily as a team we haven’t needed the children’s hospital but it is always nice and comforting to know that it is there if we do need it.”
This year marks the 11th OX5 Run, which is sponsored by Oxford-based recruitment firm Allen Associates and organised by the Oxford Mail.
COMPANIES ON THE RUN
- British Gas, Oxford
- Hine Solicitors, Oxford
- Sharp Laboratories technology development company, Oxford
- Commercial legal company Manches, Oxford
- Racquets Fitness Centre, Thame
- Unipart logistics, Oxford
- STL Communications telephone systems company, Witney
- Harley Davidson dealership, Oxford
- Nicholson Nurseries garden centre, Bicester
- Siemens technology company, Oxford
- Critchleys chartered accountants, Oxford
- Knowles and Son builders, Oxford
- Allen Associates, recruitment agency, Oxford
- Adestra marketing company, Oxford
- Genzyme therapeutic company, Oxford
- Hilltop Chauffeurs, Oxford
- Penny and Sinclair estate agents, Oxford
- Medical news website Doctors.net.uk, Abingdon
- Used car website Motors.co.uk, Abingdon
- Barclays, Oxford
- Oxford Brookes
Enter online via the above button, by calling 01865 743444 or by downloading and posting in our OX5 2013 entry form.pdf
If you or someone else has a special reason for entering then please email our OX5 Reporter Katriona Ormiston
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