Work colleagues battle through torrential rain

A group of 13 work colleagues from Huddersfield battled through torrential rain to raise £1,218 by completing a 13-mile fundraising walk.

The group of colleagues from BOGE UK (a global, family-owned manufacturer of industrial air compressors) were set to hike up Scafell Pike on 19 September but the British weather altered their plans.

Change of plans

Katie, who works as a Sales and Marketing Administrator at BOGE UK and took part in the challenge, says: 

“Severe weather warnings and safety concerns meant we couldn’t complete our original challenge. With torrential rain, there was a lot of flooding all over the Lake District and mountain rescue were advising people not to climb Scafell."

Instead, Danny, the group's walk leader who himself is a military veteran, looked at alternative routes the night before and they ended up doing a 13-mile circular trek starting from the Langdale Valley which they completed in around nine hours.

Selecting our charity

BOGE UK selects a different charity each year to support with a fundraising challenge. This year, they chose our charity after conversations with one of their distributors who is a blind veteran supported by us. Katie says: 

“We heard first-hand how Blind Veterans UK supports ex-Service men and women at their lowest moments, making a life-changing, and often life-saving, difference for them and their families.

“Despite the non-stop rain, spirits remained high. While it wasn’t the route we originally planned, the day was still a huge test of endurance, determination and teamwork and the whole team pushed on to complete the challenge for Blind Veterans UK."

Teambuilding

Not only did the team from BOGE UK raise money to support our blind veterans but they also took part in a fantastic teambuilding exercise. Katie says:

“These challenges bring people from different locations and departments together with a clear, shared goal. They build trust, resilience, and communication in a way you just don’t get in the office. Morale gets a real lift; there’s a sense of pride in pushing ourselves and doing something meaningful as one BOGE team.”