Shropshire company rises to ‘county tops’ challenge in memory of workmate
Workers at a leading Shropshire company are planning to climb 64 hills and mountains across England, Wales, Scotland and the Isles of Wight and Man this year to raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust.
Morris Lubricants, based in Shrewsbury, aims to conquer all the designated ‘County Tops’ of the 1974 administrative counties during 2012 and hope to raise £6,400 in memory of a workmate who died last year at the age of 20.
The company has adopted Teenage Cancer Trust as its charity this year in a tribute to Adam Fewtrell, who died last March after a brave fight against Ewings sarcoma, a rare form of childhood bone cancer
Adam worked with his father, Graham and sister Amy, 22, at Morris Lubricants, Britain’s leading family-owned, independent oil blenders and marketers.
Customer service manager Stuart Holloway came up with the ‘County Tops’ challenge, which was supported by the Fewtrell family and the company’s workforce. Workers will select which of the ‘County Tops’ they wish to climb and then have a dated photograph taken with a Morris Lubricants flag at the summit as proof.
Andrew Goddard, Morris Lubricants’ managing director, has pledged to climb at least three of the highest points and says he would like to climb them all during his lifetime.
“We will get to go to places where we have never been to in our lives,” he said. “Some are a lot easier than others and we are going to try and raise £100 for each hill or mountain climbed. We have until the end of the year to climb all the ‘County Tops’ but the plan is to get them done as soon as possible.
“We will be asking for support from family, friends, suppliers and customers, who will be encouraged to come and join us on the challenge. Companies can sponsor a hill for £100 if they wish.”
Mr Goddard is hoping most of Morris Lubricants’ workforce will join a challenge to climb Brown Clee, designated as Shropshire’s highest point, this summer, which will be followed by a company picnic and barbeque.
The Fewtrell family says the challenge is a fitting tribute to Adam. “He would have been up for climbing all of them because he was much fitter than us,” said Amy.
Graham added: “When Stuart came up with the idea, I thought ‘Why not?’. It’s in Adam’s memory and it will make us all fitter. It will also raise awareness of the Teenage Cancer Trust and give something back to the charity.
“We came across the charity when Adam was being treated at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, where the trust has nurses on the cancer unit helping the children.”
Anyone wishing to support the fundraising appeal can donate money online at www.justgiving.com/morris-lubricants-county-tops-challenge-2012.
