Mercedes F1 team in Brackley raise £100,000 for hospice

The Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team, based in Brackley, raised £105,809.98 for Oxfordshire’s Helen & Douglas House, exceeding its original £100,000 goal a full year ahead of schedule.

The funds will support 22, 72-hour supportive stays at the hospice for children with life-limiting conditions and their families.

Rob Thomas, chief operating officer at Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team, said: “It has been fantastic to see our team members come together over the last twelve months for our local children’s hospice.

“All it takes, is all of us, and this applies to everything that we do, both on and off the track.

“Charitable giving is a great source of pride for our team and forms a key part of our identity, and we are so proud to have not only reached but exceeded our fundraising goal for Helen & Douglas House one year ahead of target.

“To know how our funds will support the children in the hospice’s care is incredibly moving.”

Mr Thomas added: “We are in awe of the work undertaken by the hospice to help make every moment count for local families, and we are determined to raise even more for this incredible charity over the coming months.”

Based in Oxford, Helen & Douglas House provides specialist care for children with life-shortening conditions across Oxfordshire and beyond.

Following their success, the team has raised its target to £150,000, with the aim of reaching it by December 2026.

David Whittingham, CEO of Helen & Douglas House, visited the team’s Brackley headquarters on March 11 to thank staff in person.

Mr Whittingham said: “We would like to thank each and every team member who has helped raise over £100,000 a year ahead of target and to all those who will be raising more money for our charity this year.

“The hospice is a very special place where local families can make the most of their time together, creating happy memories during their children’s short lives.”

The money raised by the team has come from skydives, runs, treks, and a charity football match against Aston Martin, which alone raised more than £5,000.

Helen & Douglas House cares for over 580 children, siblings and parents a year.

The charity relies on donations to fund its services, needing to raise over £6 million annually.

Anyone wishing to support the charity can visit hdh.org.uk to donate or email corporate@helenanddouglas.org.uk to discuss becoming a corporate partner.