Paddle power as colleagues canoe 27 miles for charity

​Colleagues from our Wolverhampton store braved autumnal downpours to complete a marathon-distance canoe challenge in aid of charity.

Nine members of the team at Selco Wolverhampton donned buoyancy aids and paddles to paddle along the River Severn from Coalport to Bewdley recently.

Despite torrential rain and thunderstorms, the team managed to complete the 27-mile distance within two days, including an overnight camp.

Backed by their colleagues, the canoeists raised around £1,500 for our nominated charity of the year Cancer Research UK – with hopes the figure might top £2,000 once all donations are in.

Store Manager Craig Dickinson praised his colleagues, and in particular Salimatou Bah and Seema Harian, who overcame a fear of water to join the fundraiser.

He said: “This is our second annual fundraiser for Cancer Research having climbed Snowdon as a team last year.

“I was really pleased so many people took part in what was a difficult challenge in awful conditions. We had to get off the water at one stage due to thunder and lightning, but we still pushed on to finish.

“I was particularly proud of Salimatou and Seema, who don’t like water and actually along with myself capsized at one stage but showed bravery to see it through.

“Cancer Research UK is a fantastic charity and we are all proud to have played our part in backing the invaluable work they do.”

Selco has been supporting Cancer Research UK for the last three years and has now raised well over £500,000, which is used to help the charity’s studies into the prevention and treatment of cancer through the work of over 4,000 doctors, nurses and scientists.