Hurst’s fundraising success for Dove House Hospice

From community engagement to camaraderie, Hurst Doors looks beyond the sponsored walks and bake sales to explore the wide-ranging benefits of its recent fundraising collaboration with charity Dove House Hospice.

An invaluable source of support for those in the local community with life-limiting illnesses, Dove House Hospice has been caring for people in Hull and the East Riding of Yorkshire for almost four decades.

With patients and families firmly at the heart of the charity’s vital work, Hull-based door supplier, Hurst Doors, was keen to contribute to this worthy cause, with a year-long fundraising collaboration that has brought far-reaching rewards.

An impressive 2024

Generating an impressive £4,700 and smashing its fundraising target of £2,500, Hurst employees took part in a series of events throughout 2024, from organised obstacle courses to in-house bake-offs, raising much-need funds in the process.

But the benefits of Hurst’s involvement run much deeper, as Hayley Barker, Head of Marketing at Hurst, explained: “As a people-focused, local business, we are fully committed to community engagement and corporate responsibility,” she says.

“Our fundraising partnership with Dove House in 2024 provided an opportunity to raise awareness of the essential work the charity does – as well as contributing to its annual £10m operating costs – but it also strengthened our integration into the local community, as well as boosting camaraderie amongst our own team.”

A series of challenges

Against a backdrop of bake-sales and in-house events, Hurst’s fundraising highlights included the ‘Get Caked’ challenge. Billed as five miles of ‘wet, muddy fun’, the event saw the Hurst team clamber over, leap through, crawl under and run across a series of natural and man-made obstacles, generating cash for Dove House and building a strong team ethic in the process.

Later in the year came the Hull 10K Run, as well as Dove House’s first-ever Pub-to-Pub Walk, a 12-mile trek through East Yorkshire, sponsored by Hurst.

Taking in the region’s beautiful countryside, shoreline, and charming villages, Hurst employees were among the 200 participants to don their walking boots and set out on a scenic journey, stopping at six local pubs along the way.

Later in the year came the daunting Fire and Ice Walk, where Team Hurst bravely took on the dual challenges of walking barefoot over hot embers, heated to a scorching 650ºC, and razor-sharp, sterilised glass shards!

“We’re incredibly proud of the bravery and determination shown by members of the Hurst team who took part in the various challenges for Dove House throughout our partnership last year,” added Hayley.

“Our efforts to push through discomfort for a greater cause have really boosted engagement at Hurst. Our fundraising efforts have brought about a sense of unity, camaraderie, satisfaction and purpose, and it’s also been great fun!

“Dove House Hospice provides an invaluable community service, from the provision of end-of-life care to much-needed bereavement support for grieving families and contributing in our own way has been an honour. We’re overwhelmed by the support we’ve received.”

Huge praise for Hurst

Praising Hurst as a model for community-focused business engagement, Jonny Bottomley, Partnership Development Fundraiser at Dove House Hospice, said: “Hurst’s association with Dove House is a great endorsement for the business community.

“They’ve demonstrated a clear sense of social responsibility and a genuine commitment to community welfare. I’d encourage other businesses to get involved with worthy causes like Dove House to drive real change and make a positive difference in the areas they operate in.”

For more information, visit www.hurstdoors.co.uk