Nigel Crutchley, NatWest’s Regional Managing Director for the South West, today handed over a cheque for over £5,000 to Bristol based charity Hammer Out, which gives support to those in the Region affected by brain tumours, as he prepares to start a marathon fundraising effort for the charity during March.

The initial funds were donated by staff from across the South West during a recent Achievers Awards dinner, which one of their Bristol based colleagues was unable to attend due to her own personal fight against a brain tumour. Over £4,000 was raised from a raffle and the auction of a teddy bear, which alone raised £750. NatWest then added a further £1,000 in recognition of the efforts of the staff, through the Bank’s Community Cashback Award Scheme, which pays out awards ranging from £100 to £1,000 to individual employees and teams who make a difference to their communities by fundraising, helping, and managing local organisations and charities.

Nigel will now run three half marathons during March to increase the Region’s support for Hammer Out during Brain Tumour Awareness month. He started in Reading on 6 March, and now moves on to Silverstone on the 13th, where his NatWest colleague Kevin Davis will join him. They will then team up with colleagues James Baughan and Stuart Hare for the Bath half marathon on 20th March.

Commenting on their fundraising efforts, Nigel said: “The colleague concerned is a very popular member of our team and everyone was keen to do something to support her and show how much we are thinking of her. Seeing members of my team dig so deep in their pockets and raise such a large amount in a couple of hours inspired me to put on my running shoes again and go for the three half marathons. I might not be able to walk by the end of it but with support and sponsorship from my NatWest team around the Region, my fellow runners and I look forward to handing over another cheque to Hammer Out! They do a fantastic job in helping to raise awareness of brain tumours, as well as supporting people and their carers in the area who are directly affected by them, and we are just happy to be able to help in some small way.”

Accepting the cheque from Nigel, Tina Mitchell, who started the charity in 2002 in support of her husband, Paul, who was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2001 and passed away in 2003, said: “Everyone involved in Hammer Out would like to say a big thank you to Nigel and the rest of the staff at NatWest for their kind donation and their ongoing efforts to help us. Without support like this we wouldn’t have been able to exceed our original aim of raising £20,000 and start work on our network of support groups for people in the South West with brain tumours, their families and carers.”

Anyone needing help or advice in coping with a brain tumour or who wishes to make a donation, can contact Tina on 01454 414 355 or by e-mail.