Yorkshire based cycle events company, Sportive HQ has delivered over 5,000 water bottles and raised over £1500 through crowd funding, after responding to a request for bottles to keep frontline staff hydrated during the coronavirus pandemic.
Hospitals across our country are a warm place to be with the extra PPE required and staff are struggling to keep hydrated during their shifts. Sportive HQ were approached with a request for any “spare bottles” they had. In a bid to help in these uncertain times, Sportive HQ donated the 225 bottles they had in storage but quickly realised the demand was much higher and set up a crowd funding page to help.
Since then the campaign has gone from strength to strength with water bottles being donated from British Cycling, HSBC, Cliff Pratt Cycles and Zyron Environmental who donated 3000 bespoke NHS bottles.
Like many other events companies, Sportive HQ are unable to run their events and in these uncertain times have no idea when “normality” might resume. So, with their business hanging in the balance, there was no question that they needed to help in any way they could.
Matt from Sportive HQ said “It started with a friend, who is an anaesthetist in A&E asking if I had any spare bottles for their hospital, I had 225 in storage which I delivered the next day. However, I quickly realised that the demand for keeping hydrated was high and I felt this was my way of helping. I set up a crowd funding page and from there on it just snowballed with many generous donations”
NHS doctor said, “The water bottles are an absolute saviour, we were struggling to keep hydrated in the warm weather and tough conditions on our wards, now we can all have our own bottle labelled and know that it is always there”
Matt continued “Although we have delivered over 5,000, there is still a huge demand – we have now created bespoke “Save our NHS” water bottles for the public to buy – the £3 profit from each bottle will go towards the campaign for more bottles.”
Sportive HQ have also set up a “virtual fundraising” event called the Lockdown 50, taking place on the 30th/31st May – anyone can join in whether you are running or cycling, doing 50km, 50 laps, 50 miles or taking part for 50 minutes. All money raised goes towards the water bottle campaign to support the NHS. For those who are doing the event on smart trainers, the events will be supported by RGT Cycling and Rouvy. The virtual route starts and finishes at the London Nightingale Hospital and makes the shape of a heart for a 50-mile route around London.
