Member Article

Icelandic trek raises £6,700 for Dove House Hospice

Merseyside businessman, Ian Tomlinson, CEO of leading retail software provider, Cybertill, overcame double knee surgery to take on a 70 mile Icelandic trek and raise £6,747 for Hull and East Riding-based charity, Dove House Hospice.

The four day trek, which took in the snow-covered foothills and the rugged terrain of the Reykjadular and Graendular valleys, culminated in a gruelling 17km accent to the summit of the Eyjafjallajokull glacier.

Having undergone surgery to both of his knee caps just three months before the challenge, the training was almost as hard as the trek itself, as Ian recalls:

“Training was tough; the mental hurdle of imagining yourself completing a 70 mile hike when you’re struggling to regain steadiness on your feet was difficult. But when you’ve committed to doing something for such a good cause, you just have to grit your teeth, put all that aside and go for it. Dove House Hospice provide such a personalised level of care to each and every one of its patients, it served as great motivation.”

Funds generated from Ian’s trek will provide valuable support for Dove House Hospice, which offers care for those affected by life limiting illnesses. Specialising in palliative care, the Hospice gives its patients whose illness is no longer curable quality of life and relies on funds raised in the local community, as well as support from the Primary Care Trusts, to enable it to continue providing its services at no charge to the patient.

Commenting on Ian’s trek, Marisa Haines, retail division manager for Dove House Hospice, said: “Having been a customer of Cybertill for six years now, it was lovely that both companies came together to take part in the Icelandic Trek and raise such a great amount for Dove House Hospice. In total, the entire trek team raised £70,000 which will go a long way to helping provide our patients with the vital care that they need.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ian Tomlinson .