Ridgeons raises £24k for Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust

Fundraising activities held throughout 2011 to help mark the 100th birthday of independent builders merchant group Ridgeons raised £24,000 for Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust.

Ridgeons presented ACT with a cheque for £23,756.56 on Monday 19th March at a special ceremony at Addenbrooke’s Hospital. The money was raised through fundraising activities throughout the year at all Ridgeons branches, with the family company doubling the amount raised in store to reach the final total.

The fundraising activities held across Ridgeons’ branches included a specially commissioned liveried dray pulled by two beautiful Suffolk Punches, which toured East Anglia, visiting Ridgeons’ branches, schools and events around the region, attracting attention and raising money for ACT.

Other fun activities included Ridgeons’ employees participating in a light-hearted 1911 styled dressing-up competition, ‘It’s a Knock Out’ challenge at The Big Weekend in Cambridge, and a special pantomime performance featuring Ridgeons’ employees. Branch customers were also invited to splash out on raffle tickets and donate by eating a hearty builders’ breakfast.

The funds raised by Ridgeons during 2011 were in support of three key ACT projects: a new state-of-the-art Da Vinci Robot for key-hole surgery; life-saving volumetric pumps for the children’s ward; and a breast cancer specimen x-ray machine for the Cambridge Breast Unit. Funding targets for the volumetric pumps and x-ray machine have both now been achieved, with the help from Ridgeons’ donation, meaning that a significant contribution will go towards the Da Vinci Robot.

Anne Ridgeon, chairman of the Ridgeons Group, said: “Last year was a particularly special year for Ridgeons and we enjoyed celebrating all of the hard work and good fortune of the past 100 years. We are absolutely delighted to have raised such a significant amount of money to help ACT continue its tremendous work. The Trust delivers life-saving projects which benefit all of us, directly or indirectly, and what a great way for Ridgeons to celebrate its birthday by supporting such an important and valuable cause.”