Ellie’s epic challenge in aid of Trust’s Head to Toe charity
Ironwoman Eleanor Bithell is taking on a series of gruelling challenges to raise money for Head to Toe, the official charity of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust.
Eleanor (pictured), a senior administrator at the Trust, will be running a combined total of nearly 60 miles during three races.
Known as Ellie to her friends and colleagues, her epic effort began on Sunday, 9 May when she took part in an 18-mile cross country run from Bury St Edmunds to Clare in Suffolk.
With her first challenge complete, she is now switching her attentions to the London Marathon on Sunday, 3 October before taking on the Cambridge Half Marathon on Sunday, 17 October.
Ellie, who works with the Trust’s children and young people’s mental health teams, said: “The support that Head to Toe has given to patients, service-users and staff throughout the pandemic has been incredible.
“For colleagues in particular the charity has provided some seemingly small gestures, like hand creams and thank you cards, which have really kept us going. At one point, my admin colleagues and I were all sent some sunflower seeds which we planted and watched grow. It has been little things like that which were so thoughtful and have kept us all going during the response to the pandemic.
“It’s a fantastic charity and so I thought I would run all three events in aid of Head to Toe, raise more funds for it, and help it continue that fine work.”
Ellie’s work involves supporting staff who work for the children and young people’s teams at the Trust’s in-patient wards at Fulbourn, Cambridge, and in the community throughout Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
Dave Rickerby, modern matron for CPFT’s children and young people’s in-patient units, the Darwin Centre, the Phoenix Centre, and the Croft Child and Family Unit, said: “Ellie is an absolute star. As well as her charitable and sporting endeavours she is indispensable to our teams.
“She is always willing, helpful and greets us every day with a smile. She deals with highly complex administrative tasks each day which benefit the care of young people as well as me and my colleagues.”
Head to Toe charity manager Hannah Wysocki said: “We’re so grateful for Ellie’s support. We’ll be cheering her on at all three events, and as she’ll be wearing one of our bright orange running vests I hope other people will easily be able to spot her and also her give her plenty of support on her runs.”
Ellie’s Just Giving page can be at: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Eleanor-BITHELL.
*Meanwhile, Head to Toe still has places available for runners who want to take part in the Cambridge Half Marathon and run in aid of CPFT’s charity.
The public ballot for the run has now closed, but there’s still time to join Team Head to Toe.
Anyone who is interested is asked to pay £30 for their place and commit to raising £300 for Head to Toe which supports projects which benefit patients, service-users, carers, and staff at CPFT.
For more information visit the Head to Toe pages of the CPFT website or email Head to Toe.
CPFT employs more than 4,000 staff who provide community physical healthcare for older people and those with long-term conditions, mental healthcare for children and adults, children’s health services in Peterborough, learning disability support and social care support.
ENDS
For more information please contact:
Andy Burrows
Interim Deputy Head of Communications
E andy.burrows@cpft.nhs.uk
T 01223 219467
