A SPONSORED bike ride across the Severn Bridge and an auction of autographed footballs have helped enthusiastic fundraisers at a Chepstow transport depot raise a massive £10,000.
The money was being handed over this week to the MACS charity which helps children with rare sight disorders.
The fund raising began when Exel Logistics depot manager Steve Patton was challenged to run in the London Marathon by Peter Stockwin of Tesco.
"Raising £10,000 was excellent and a result of a superb effort by everyone involved," said Mr Patton, who completed the marathon in just over four and three quarter hours – not bad for a man in his early fifties with no record of running.
Steve was put in touch with the MACS charity and encouraged his staff to come up with some other ideas to help raise cash in addition to his sponsored run.
Every Premier League football club was contacted and Liverpool and Manchester United sent footballs signed by their players, and West Ham and Blackburn also sent signed objects which were auctioned.
The Driving Edge agency donated two tickets in the executive box for the Premier League match between Liverpool and Spurs which generated a considerable amount of money in a raffle which was won ironically by an Evertonian.
Other sponsored events included a swim by supply chain manager Alan Mitchell and a skydive.
They brought the total to £5,775 and Exel Logistics put in £4,225 to take the total to £10,000.
The money was being handed over to MACS trustee John Karvaski, whose own son Conner, four, was born with Coloboma, a structural eye defect.
"It has been a tremendous effort from everyone involved," said Mr Karvaski.
"This extremely large donation will help to ensure that we can continue to offer help and support to the affected children and their families."