Fundraisers hope for a roaring success
Staff from a Shropshire building contractor are unleashing their inner animal in order to raise thousands of pounds for the West Midlands Air Ambulance.
Flamingos, tigers, and a chicken will be among the outfits donned by workers from Pave Aways when they take part in a Shropshire Safari for the firm’s annual charity challenge from July 27 to 29.
The 12-strong team will complete a combined 84-mile route along the southern loop of the Shropshire Way on foot, starting and finishing at The Quarry in Shrewsbury.
A number of other intrepid employees will simultaneously undertake a 70-mile bike ride around the north of the county including an off-road section for mountain bikers.
The walk is an annual event for Knockin based Pave Aways, which last year raised more than £5,000 for Cure Leukaemia by doing a 90-mile coast to coast challenge along Hadrian’s Wall dressed as Roman soldiers.
This year’s route will loosely follow the southern loop of The Shropshire Way. Starting in Shrewsbury it will take in Bishops Castle via the Stiperstones, moving onto Clun, Craven Arms, and along Wenlock Edge to Much Wenlock, with the final leg following The Severn Way back to Shrewsbury.
The bike ride will be based on a route similar to the northern loop of The Shropshire Way encompassing Oswestry, Ellesmere, Whitchurch and Wem.
The team have already taken part in the Dragon Boat Race in Shrewsbury in their Shropshire Safari costumes. They are encouraging anyone who sees them on the route to stop and take a ‘Shropshire Safari Selfie’ and post it on social media with the hashtag #shropsafariselfie.
Organiser Stefan Ivanović, Pave Aways’ projects planner and contracts manager, said: “So far we have people dressed as a bear, tiger, fox, zebra, ladybird, flamingo, bumble bee, leopard, butterfly, cow and chicken.
“Not only is it fun for those taking part, we hope that trudging around the countryside dressed as a bunch of animals will attract attention and therefore donations.
“Some people will be completing all of the route with others doing as much or as little as they can. We’re encouraging family and friends to get involved too so it will be quite a spectacle. We’d love people to stop and take a selfie with us as the more interest we can get, the more money we can raise for the charity.”
He added: “The Air Ambulance is a vital service for a rural county like ours. We work all over Shropshire and the Midlands and often see it flying overhead so we know how much it is needed.”
Donations can be made at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/pal-shrop-safari.
