Quality Bearings Online supports Candlelighters charity by raising over £7,700 in 2023

Award-winning Quality Bearings Online Limited, of Holbeck, set out to raise £5,000 for their charity of the year but have broken through the target with numerous fundraising events.

Denny Maude, CEO at Quality Bearings Online Limited (QBOL), said: “Candlelighters has been our charity of choice for many years, and I have personally seen, first hand, the work they do with families of children with cancer.

"They give support to those going through the toughest times in their lives, and I am incredibly grateful to the whole QBOL team for their dedication to fundraising and supporting Candlelighters with the fantastic work they do."

The team of 22 individuals at QBOL, which supplies engineering spares and more worldwide, has taken part in a number of fundraising activities such as Tough Mudder’s, bake sales, and completing a 150-mile challenge.

Last June five QBOL employees abseiled 148 feet down the Moda building in Leeds City Centre.

"The individuals knew the strength and determination of children and families who are affected by this devastating disease and wanted to take on a challenge to push themselves out their comfort zones,” said a QBOL spokesperson.

"They managed to raise a whopping £2,580, with QBOL matching all the donations the team raised.”

In support of Childhood Cancer Awareness in September 2023, employees completed the Candlelighters’ 150 Mile Challenge to walk, cycle, run, or swim the distance in the month.

To generate healthy competition, they decided to split their departments into teams. In the end, the Directors team came out on top by achieving a huge 425.3 miles in total.

In conjunction with their fundraising activities, in 2022, QBOL bought a private suite at the First Direct Arena in Leeds, to invite guests to donate to Candlelighters.

The team was also able to invite children and families from Leeds Children’s Hospital to the private box for children’s events such as Disney On Ice, Paw Patrol, and Blippi.

Iain Blackwood Hobbs, Partnerships Executive at Candlelighters, said: “We can’t thank QBOL enough for all the support they have given to Candlelighters over the last couple of years.

"As well as getting involved with different fundraising activities, signing up to challenge events and supporting our campaigns, they’ve provided some amazing experiences at Leeds First Direct Arena for our families and created lovely memories.

"We don’t receive any government funding and the current financial climate is more challenging than ever, so their fundraising has made a tremendous difference to the charity and the families we support.

"All of the money raised allows us to continue providing practical, emotional and financial support to families in Yorkshire affected by childhood cancer.”

To find out more about the work Candlelighters does to help children with cancer and their families, please visit: https://www.candlelighters.org.uk/