TEAM HL RAISES OVER £1,000 FOR SMART WORKS BIRMINGHAM

Pedal pushers at Harris Lamb have proved they’re more than capable of going the distance when it comes to fund raising, having exceeded both their £500 and 500-mile targets in the Cycle for Smart Works challenge.

A team made up of Andy Smith, Andy Groves, Fiona Mellor, John Pearce and Shirley Greenlees pledged to cycle 500 miles between them in seven days to raise funds for Smart Works Birmingham, which helps support women in need into the workplace, and set a goal of £500 in sponsorship for their efforts.

The Cycle for Smart Works Challenge has taken place for several years, always taking place in March, aiming to raise both funds for the charity, and awareness of its work.

Smart Works Birmingham provides vital support for women in need, supplying them with suitable clothing for interviews along with vital interview coaching to help them enter the workplace and become financially independent.

Shirley Greenlees said: “While it has only been established for five years, Smart Works has had a massive impact on the women it supports, all of whom are referred to the charity by approved referral partners including housing associations, women’s shelters, job centres and training organisations.

“It has helped 1,500 women in that time, reporting a 71 per cent success rate in helping the women it supports to get a job within one month of seeing Smart Works and we were delighted to put our cycle helmets on once again this year to help fund its future success.

“Smart Works called on businesses throughout the West Midlands to jump into the saddle for the challenge, aiming to raise £15,000 in total. Over a seven-day period, we notched up a total of 632 miles between us, and combined sponsorship of £1,136, which will be added to the charity’s grand total and be used to support women across the West Midlands,”s he added.

Philippa Pickavance Chairwoman and Trustee at Smart Works Birmingham added: “We are so grateful for this support from Harris Lamb, who made up one of our 15 teams this year for our Cycle Challenge and we are very pleased to report we are on track to raise our £15,000 target.”

For more details about Smart Works, visit https://birmingham.smartworks.org.uk/.