A team from a Lichfield retailer is taking on a charity challenge to help raise money to fund demential nurses

Members of the Central England Co-op’s data and analytics team are aiming to cover one million steps in seven days in aid of Dementia UK.

The charity is running the 24/7 Challenge to highlight the need for specialist nurses to continue their work during the pandemic.

Members of the team taking on the charity challenge
Members of the team taking on the charity challenge

Marta Foley, Central England Co-op’s customer analytics manager, said:

“We are a brand-new team, so I thought it would be really nice to do something as a team, even when we cannot be together as we continue to work remotely from home during the pandemic.

“Because of that we are all tending to be sat at our computers and seated more so I thought it would be nice to do a challenge that would force us away from the computer and to get active.

“Therefore, it is about supporting the team’s mental and physical wellbeing, as well as helping Dementia UK.

“Like many charities they are facing a really challenging situation at the moment with a dip in donations during COVID-19 so we really wanted to support them.

“The team were up for it and have really ran with it and when they heard about Dementia UK’s 24/7 challenge they thought it would be great to take that on.”

Marta Foley, Central England Co-op

Fellow team member and data analyst Cristina Jipa said the group of fundraisers would be pushing each other along.

“We came up with doing one million steps in one week based on the idea that the team will be walking a combined total of 24 hours every day, so it will work out that each of us will do around three hours a day

“We will all record our steps in the same mobile app, so we can see each day where we are and keep a track.

“We are aiming to raise £1,000 but it would be great to raise more for such a good cause.”

Cristina Jipa, Central England Co-op

The challenge runs from 22nd to 29th August. People can donate via the team’s online fundraising page.

Founder of Lichfield Live and editor of the site.