On Tuesday 12th July, businesses across the South West gathered in support of Dribuild’s annual Summer Afternoon of Racing at Bath Racecourse, and helped raise £33,978 for local Bristol hospital charity Above & Beyond.
The Keynsham-based building contractor hosted the sponsored race day as part of its fundraising programme for its Charity of the Year, Above & Beyond.
The company are raising funds for urgent research at Bristol’s hospitals into the treatment of Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP) – a debilitating auto-immune illness whereby platelets are destroyed causing potentially life-threatening bleeding, and severe tiredness.
One patient who lives with the effects of ITP every day is 19-year-old Megan Abernethy-Hope who was diagnosed with the condition in August 2014.
She was treated at Bristol Royal Infirmary by Dr Charlotte Bradbury, ITP Research Lead, and received a series of treatments including steroids, chemotherapy and a splenectomy.
Thanks to the help of the dedicated team at the hospital, she has battled through and was even crowned Miss Bristol in 2015.
She is keen to raise awareness about the devastating impact the illness can have on so many lives.
At the event, she said: “Today has been absolutely phenomenal and has honestly brought me to tears. The generosity of everyone here has been outstanding and I need to say a huge thanks to Dribuild and everyone who donated anything from 50p to £100 because I know it’s going to make such a massive difference to ITP.
“For those who are already suffering with it, and unfortunately those who are yet to be diagnosed, I just want to say you’ve got the support of the South West behind you and we’re going to help fight this.”
Meg, along with businesses such as HSBC, Maxwells Chartered Accountants and Octagon Consultancy, were treated to a full day’s racing as well as tombola, game of heads or tails and charity auction hosted by Geoff Twentyman of BBC Radio Bristol.
All proceeds from the day helped towards Dribuild’s pledged target of £50,000.
Managing Director at Dribuild, Matt Tyler, said: “Following on from the success of last year’s charity event, we are thrilled to be back again as race day sponsor, raising vital funds for a charity close to our hearts.
“Above & Beyond is a fantastic organisation whose work stretches from providing the latest equipment to funding new research in Bristol’s city centre hospitals – no doubt we’ve all been touched at some point in our lives by the brilliant care the doctors and nurses provide.
“The support and generous donations we have received from all of those here today has been incredible. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has contributed towards our target of £50,000, which we’re now well on our way to achieving” he added.
Above & Beyond specifically raises funds for all nine of Bristol’s city centre hospital sites, including the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, Bristol Royal Infirmary and Bristol Haematology and Oncology Centre to make a real difference to patient care.
Each year they raise an estimated £3 million for projects to improve hospital environment, fund innovative research, provide state-of-the-art equipment and support staff training and development.
Lorna Clarke, Head of Corporate Partnerships at the charity said: “We’re thrilled to have been chosen as Dribuild’s Charity of the Year and are so grateful of all the efforts of both Dribuild and its partners. It’s only thanks to the support of businesses such as these that we can continue to go above and beyond for Bristol’s hospitals.
“Every penny really does count and the funds raised from today’s events will be invaluable to helping progress the research into ITP.”
If you work for a company in the South West and would like to make a difference to Bristol’s hospitals, contact Lorna Clarke, Head of Corporate Partnerships on 0117 370 0842.
