Colleagues from across UM Group came together earlier this month to present St. Michael’s Hospice (North Hampshire) with a cheque for £30,850.

The staggering sum of money was raised by an UM team successfully completing the Three Peaks Challenge in memory of former colleague Melissa Bryers (nee Childerley).

The presentation event at UM’s head office in London was the first of two events to mark the achievement. A second event with colleagues in Liverpool will be held later in September.

We were delighted to be joined at head office by Melissa’s brother Russell Childerley and Tash Haji, Community Engagement Lead for St. Michael’s Hospice.

Tash said: “It was lovely to meet with members of the UM team who undertook the challenge and with Russell. It was a privilege to hear the impact that St. Michael’s Hospice had on Melissa and her family, and how much she was loved by her colleagues at UM. It was so nice to hear stories about Melissa and how she was such a force of nature and a joy to be around.”

The money raised by the UM team, together with a further £18,000 generated by Melissa’s family and friends, will allow the Hospice to purchase three Cuddle Beds.

Tash added: “Being able to use a Cuddle Bed made such a difference to Melissa in her final days. The money raised by UM and Melissa’s family and friends will make such a difference to the services St. Michael’s Hospice can provide to other patients.

“St. Michael’s Hospice only receives 22% funding from the NHS, so as a charitable organisation we must raise £14,500 every day to run our services. Without the support of our corporate and individual fundraisers we would not be able to provide care and support for patients and their loved ones.”

The £30,850 raised by UM included £11,675 of match-funding from our holding company W&R Barnett and a generous donation from a major customer.

Members of the UM Three Peaks team who attended the event at UM’s head office were Felicity White, Andrew Creasey, Mark Few, Agnieszka Sriskanthan-Reksa and Harry Lawson.

Geraldine Carroll, who was part of the organising team, said: “It was lovely to get members of the team together for the presentation, lunch and to spend time with Russell hearing how the family are doing since Melissa passed. It was particularly nice to have the time to share stories and memories of a colleague who was part of the UM family for more than 10 years. We are looking forward to having a further get-together in Liverpool in September for the seven members of the team who weren’t able to make it to London.”

The seven members are Jake Ellis, Tom Prior, Niall O’Donnell, Lewis Chambers, Robbie Flynn, Jamie Clintworth and Tate France.

The challenge, which the UM team completed in June, saw them navigate their way up and down the three famous peaks in less than 24 hours – beginning with the ascent of Ben Nevis (1345m), followed by the climb of Scafell Pike (978m) in the Lake District the same evening and Snowdon (1085m) in North Wales in the early hours of Sunday 15 June.