Virtual Challenge raises £10,000 for Leeds Cares to support NHS hospitals

The participants of the inaugural AJ Bell World Triathlon Leeds Virtual Challenge have generously donated £10,290 to Leeds Cares which is the official charity of the Leeds Teaching Hospitals.

With Covid-19 seeing the physical event due to take place across 6-7 June postponed until 2021, the virtual challenge provided over 5,500 adults and children the chance to take on a running and cycling challenge to earn themselves a bespoke medal and the satisfaction of achieving their goal.

When registering for the event, those taking part had the option of donating to Leeds Cares with their donations going to support the work of the charity who support NHS staff, patients and their families across the city.

Leeds Cares were named the Official Charity Partner of the AJ Bell World Triathlon Leeds in January and, with so many other fundraising events cancelled throughout 2020, the virtual challenge has helped raise vital funds to support their work alongside hospitals in Leeds.

As the charity of Leeds Teaching Hospitals, Leeds Cares supports NHS staff to deliver the best care for over a million patients and their families each year.

They fund items and services over and above what the NHS can fund. The money raised through the virtual challenge will go to continuing the support provided to staff at Leeds Teaching Hospitals.

During the pandemic, the charity has provided NHS staff in Leeds and Harrogate with care packages containing fresh fruit and vegetables, toiletries, drinks and other treats twice a week during the pandemic, seeing over 1,250 food boxes and over 1,600 fruit and veg bags delivered.

Wayne Coyle, AJ Bell World Triathlon Leeds Event Director, said: “Leeds Cares provide a vital support to hospitals and patients throughout Leeds, and to be able to hand over this amazing amount raised by our participants is a such a privilege. 

“We’re blown away by the amount given through the challenge, and it goes to show just how valued and appreciated the NHS and those that go into supporting it are.”

Giles Fretwell, Head of Events at Leeds Cares, said: “We at Leeds Cares are equally blown away with the donations from the competitors of the AJ Bell World Triathlon Leeds Virtual Challenge.

“It’s absolutely amazing to know the money raised from this event will go towards supporting the staff at Leeds Teaching Hospitals, to help continue to provide the best care possible at this time. 

“I just want to say a huge thank you to everyone that has donated and thought of Leeds Cares during your training and virtual triathlon – you’ve really made a huge difference to our local NHS!”