Gap Group North East and REPIC, teamed up this week to mark the 15 year anniversary of the UK’s Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations with a donation of £2,000 to a charity selected by employees.

The heartwarming endeavour was part of a nationwide event organised to mark the 15^th anniversary of electrical recycling in the UK. Organised by REPIC, the leading WEEE compliance scheme, the event rallied its partners, including treatment facilities, reuse organisations and local authorities for a 15-day, cycling extravaganza, marking the WEEE sector’s achievements and highlighting the importance of electrical recycling in the UK. Gap Group employees joined REPIC on day seven and eight of the journey, completing a challenging 160 kms from Northumberland to North Allerton.

As a fitting legacy, REPIC pledged to work with its supporters to donate £15,000 to local charities associated with the event route. Recognising the importance of giving back and empowering employees to make a difference, GAP Group initiated an internal campaign to choose a charity that resonated with its workforce. After careful consideration the employees collectively selected Maggie’s Newcastle as the recipient of the £2,000 donation.

Donation of £2,000 being made to Maggie’s Newcastle by waste electrical recyclers, REPIC and GAP Group NE

Both GAP Group and REPIC firmly believe in supporting causes that have a meaningful impact on the communities they serve.

Louise Grantham, Chief Executive from REPIC, commented, “The commitment and enthusiasm of all our riders to complete the 15-day WEEE Cycle Network made this event an experience to remember. Rounding off our WEEE Cycle Network event, which provided the opportunity to look back on what we’ve achieved as a sector in this time and look forward together, marking this with a series of donations to worthy causes is a great legacy to a remarkable initiative.”

Peter Moody, Managing Director at GAP Group, added: “We are grateful for the opportunity to make a positive difference in our local community. At GAP Group we firmly believe in the power of giving back and supporting causes close to the hearts of our employees. We are proud to contribute to the outstanding work of Maggie’s Newcastle and help them continue to support those most in need in our community.”

Maggie’s Newcastle, based at the Freeman Hospital offers home-from-home support to those diagnosed or affected by cancer. Whatever kind of cancer, or stage of development Maggie’s staff are specially trained to provide people with the expert knowledge and advice.

Centre Head from Maggie’s Newcastle, Karen Verrill, added: “You walk through the doors at Maggie’s as a person, not a patient, and are welcomed with the opportunity to meet people who understand what you are going through or a space to sit with a warm drink to gather your thoughts.

“One of the things that makes Maggie’s so special is that you don’t need an appointment or referral. You can simply walk-in to access our small team of specialists including nurses, counsellors and benefit advisors. We also offer a big weekly programme of support groups, courses and stress reducing activities such as mindfulness.

“Our centre has been open for ten year and this support is sadly needed more than ever before.

“It costs us £2,400 a day to run Maggie’s in the North East, supporting 80-100 visitors every day. Almost everything is funded by our local community. We’re so grateful to everyone at GAP and REPIC for choosing to support us with the wonderful surprise donation.”

If you or someone you know has cancer, Maggie’s is here for you. Visit maggies.org to find your closest centre.