News & Events
£75,000 donation to help people with MND
26 September 2008
Associated British Ports (ABP) has donated £75,000 to the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association.The money was raised through a fundraising event, Pedal the Ports, that saw ABP employees form a relay team and circumnavigate Britain on tandem bicycles, calling at all 21 ports owned and operated by the company, starting and finishing in the Port of Grimsby.
Events took place at many of the ports and MND Association Branches and Groups turned out to support the ABP teams.
The relay was inspired by Nick Palmer, former Port Director of Grimsby & Immingham, who is living with MND.
John Fitzgerald, ABP Port Director, Grimsby & Immingham, explains the motivation behind the campaign: “The idea for Pedal the Ports originated last year, when my predecessor at Grimsby & Immingham, Nick Palmer, announced his decision to retire after being diagnosed with MND.
“As Nick worked at all of ABP’s ports over his 27 years at the Company, I thought it would be a fitting tribute to launch a scheme that somehow involved all of those locations, while also raising money for MND research and care.
The money raised was handed over at a presentation at the Port of Grimsby and was attended by members of the Grimsby MND Branch. The money was split between MND Branches and Groups (Cardiff, Barrow in Furness, Norwich and Southampton). A larger amount was donated to the Grimsby Branch who supported ABP in organising a Port Community Open Day.
Speaking at the cheque presentation Head of Community Fundraising at the MND Association, Denise Davies said: “Being diagnosed with MND can be devastating, not just for the individual but for their family as well. ABP pulled out all the stops and raised a massive sum of money to help support those affected by this disease.
“I would like to thank ABP for all their hard work. The money raised by ABP will go towards providing care and support for people with MND, including purchasing valuable pieces of equipment to improve their quality of life as much as possible. It’s great that some of this money has gone directly to local MND Branches which are run entirely by volunteers and provide support to people living locally with the disease.”
