A total of 70 employees, friends and family will take part in the Race For Life at Trentham Gardens on June 11. They will each wear a specially-designed onesie, based on Tigger – the energetic toy tiger character from the Winnie-the-Pooh books and films.
Calling themselves the Tigger Diggers, the women will also pull on awareness-raising T-shirts donated by Brand Addition, and are hoping to raise at least £10,000 through sponsorship and donations. Manchester-based Brand Addition provides branded products to businesses requiring merchandise to support marketing activity, consumer promotions and other events.
Sue Redding, who is PA to the JCB’s Group Purchasing Director, persuaded her colleagues to wear the colourful costumes for the event – the fourth year on the trot JCB employees have donned fancy dress to take part.
Sue, of Stafford, had a mastectomy in 2008 and again in 2012, and along with most of her colleagues has taken part in the annual Race for Life for the last four years to raise money for cancer research. Through the previous Race For Life events they have raised more than £33,000 and hope to add to that considerably with their latest fundraising efforts.
Sue said: “Even if people can only donate £1 it will be gratefully received and put towards a life-saving cause. We have different themes each year. They have included the JCB Pink Ladies, JCBees and, last year, the JCB Army. Every girl in the group knows someone whose lives have been touched by cancer which is why the event receives so much support. It is so important that people keep donating the money so new research can be funded and the breakthroughs are made that are needed to combat cancer.”
Victoria Meikle, Cancer Research UK’s Stoke-on-Trent Events Manager, said: "Race for Life is an amazing way to celebrate life but also remember those who have been lost to the disease. I would urge as many ladies as possible to join team JCB and play their part by entering Race for Life in Trentham Gardens. Together, we can hit cancer where it hurts."
Anyone wishing to make a donation to the JCB team can visit the website www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/tigger-diggers Alternatively, people can text 70070, enter the code TIGG54 and pledge an amount.