Aster employees take on walking challenge in memory of colleague

Employees from housing association Aster Group in Wells, Somerset, have raised money for Macmillan Cancer Support in memory of former colleague Maurice Gibbons.

Maurice worked with his wife, Christine, for Aster’s cleaning contractor for eight years and the couple were well known by the colleagues who visited Aster’s Wells office. Maurice recently passed away and the team decided to take on a challenge in his memory.

Although the Wells office, at the Priory Medical Centre, is currently closed due to COVID-19, the corporate real estate and facilities management teams at Aster wanted to do something different to raise money and remember Maurice in their own way.

They set themselves the challenge of walking 403 miles, a total of 806,000 steps – representing the distance between all of Aster’s offices across the South West. They smashed their target, walking 913 miles or the equivalent of 1,928,630 steps.

Gary Powney, Aster facilities coordinator, said: “Maurice was a well-known and popular colleague who worked with hundreds of colleagues over the years. We’re happy to be able to do something in his memory.

“Raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support, which provided brilliant support to his family at the most difficult time, seemed like the best way to contribute given the current restrictions.”

Christine Gibbons, Maurice’s wife, said: “A big thank you to Aster for doing the challenge. Maurice would have been proud of you all and I’m extremely touched by what you have all done.”

The teams raised £797, beating their original £500 target. Through its match funding scheme, Aster donated £381 to the good cause. Visit the Just Giving page to make a donation towards Macmillan Cancer Support in Maurice’s memory.