Nautical Northumberland St. Bucket Collection raises hundreds for Tiny Lives
Aspiring Atlantic rowers Paul Hopkins, Phil Pugh and their beloved boat held a bucket collection on Northumberland Street on 12th July, raising £494.51 for local charity, the Tiny Lives Trust.
On Friday 12th July, shoppers may have spotted the unusual sight of a boat moored up in Newcastle’s bustling Northumberland Street! This was set up by Paul, a retired firefighter from Wallsend, and Phil, a businessman from Newcastle, as part of a bucket collection to raise funds for The Tiny Lives Trust
Paul and Phil, who have been fundraising for Tiny Lives for the last several years, are planning an epic journey to mark the end of their fundraising. In December this year they will be hopping in their boat and taking on the Atlantic Dream Challenge; a voyage of 3000 nautical miles, rowing by hand across the Atlantic Ocean.
This gruelling challenge will raise funds for Tiny Lives and The Firefighters Charity, both of which are local charities that are very close to the pair. Tiny Lives holds a special place in Phil’s heart in particular, as his son Tom was born prematurely and spent many weeks on the RVI Neonatal Unit.
Tiny Lives is an independent charity that supports the 750+ babies and their families that pass through the RVI Neonatal Unit each year. They provide developmental care items, a financial hardship fund for parents, fund staff member positions (including a Neonatal Psychologist and a Social Worker) and more.
Louise Carroll (Community and Events Fundraiser at Tiny Lives) spent the day collecting with Paul and Phil. She said: “Paul and Phil have both worked exceptionally hard for this challenge, both through their fundraising and their time on the rowing machine! We are so humbled that they have decided to take on such a gruelling challenge to raise money for Tiny Lives and really can’t thank them enough.”
Paul and Phil keep supporters updated on their progress via their Facebook and Twitter pages, and if anyone would like to support them, they can donate here
