An enthusiastic team from IHP - the construction partner working with Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust on the Making Room for Dignity project to create new mental health facilities for the communities of North and South Derbyshire, are teeing off and stepping out to seek sponsorship for a great cause, local to their current construction project at Chesterfield Royal Hospital.

“To play golf is to spoil an otherwise enjoyable walk." ...or so wrote H.S Scrivener in 1903.

The eager team of five staff from IHP Derbyshire North have volunteered to test out this theory on 24th May, as they set out to walk over 100 combined miles (nearer to 110 miles to be precise!), whilst also completing four rounds of golf in a single day.

To make the most of the daylight hours, John Greenoff, Mark Turver, Gary Wardle, Andrew West and Jonathan Whyman, will tee-off their big golfing and walking bonanza, bright and early at 5:30am at Wakefield Golf Club, where they’ll each cover a walking distance of 22 miles as they complete the course four times over. As the organiser of the charity event, John will be keeping a watchful eye to ensure the buggy ban is strictly enforced and the full distance is covered on foot!

The team have been motivated to raise money for a small charity, based locally to where they’re currently working in Chesterfield, and are inviting friends and colleagues to sponsor them in completing their challenge.

They are aiming to raise £1000.00.

All monies that the team raise will be donated to Pathways of Chesterfield.

Pathways is a charity that exists to provide professional advice and support for individuals and families in Chesterfield, North East Derbyshire and Bolsover who are homeless, vulnerable to becoming homeless or facing a housing crisis.

Everyone should have the right to a safe, secure, and comfortable home, yet recent research showed at least 271,000 people were recorded as homeless in England, including 123,000 children. Furthermore, the number of people living in temporary accommodation has risen by an alarming 74% in the last 10 years. The research also found almost two-thirds of people said living in temporary accommodation has had a negative impact on their mental health and half said it has had a negative impact on their physical health.

In Chesterfield, Pathways provides a holistic service, offering advice and support to local people regarding their housing situation, as well as physical and mental health support, emergency food and clothing provisions, and also benefits advice and support to relieve their financial difficulties.

Pathways provides its services at no cost to its users, meaning its continuing operations rely on charitable donations. Please consider supporting Team IHP Derbyshire with a donation to this remarkable charity.

To give an idea of how your donations may help:

• £10 will pay for a sleeping bag to help someone who’s rough-sleeping, to keep warm

• £30 will buy a mobile phone to help the charity keep in touch with vulnerable people on the streets

• £100 will fund new kitchen essentials for someone moving into a new home

Best wishes to all five IHP golfers – John, Mark, Gary, Andrew and Jonathan and thank you to all sponsors for your support!

*Picture shows Andrew, John, Gary and Mark looking happy, with four weeks to go until the big event!