Archie Foundation Chief Executive, Paula Cormack, is practising what she preaches by taking on a 380km Coast 2 Coast Cycle Challenge on May 26-28.

She will join the 76 strong bp Coast 2 Coast team in cycling 380km (236 miles) from Gairloch to Aberdeen through beautiful and hilly Scottish countryside. The standard route involves climbing a total of 3,250m over the course of the 3 days, however a small number of the cyclists have chosen to add the additional and gruelling Bealach Na Ba ascent – the UK’s longest road climb. Never one to shy away from challenge, Paula was quick to throw her hat in the ring: “I decided that if I'm asking friends and family to sponsor me, then the 380km alone won't cut it and I'll need to take on at least one of the "extras".

The Archie Foundation is one of four charities supported by this year’s bp Coast to Coast Challenge with 18 cyclists choosing to focus their fundraising on Archie’s Baird Appeal. They set themselves the challenge to raise £20,000 towards Archie’s £2m appeal to deliver the difference at the new Baird Family Hospital. Their collective fundraising currently sits at £15,394 and with just a couple of days to go until they set off, the group are firmly focussed on achieving their fundraising as well as their cycling goal.

The new Baird Family Hospital at Aberdeen’s Foresterhill campus is currently under construction with a target opening date of Autumn 2024. The Archie Foundation’s Baird Appeal will deliver the “extras” above and beyond core NHS provision, funding environment enhancing finishing touches and additional specialist equipment.

Paula explained her motivation for taking on the challenge: “My boys’ arrivals into the world were hugely significant moments for our family but they were very straight forward and, in the nicest sense, entirely uneventful. My role has made me acutely aware that not every family is as fortunate and the work that The Archie Foundation does makes the most incredible difference for families during their most desperate times. I’m a big believer in practising what you preach and I’m also a firm believer that fundraising can help you achieve what might at first seem impossible. When you invite friends and family to sponsor you, it helps keep you on track when you have those wee wobbles of confidence that might otherwise lead you to give up. Many of my fellow cyclists have their own incredibly moving motivations for undertaking this challenge for Archie and for the Baird Family Hospital and cycling alongside them and with the backing of all our friends and family who have sponsored us will really help on those steepest ascents.”

There are around 5,000 babies born every year in Grampian. About 700 of them need specialist neonatal care. The new Baird Family Hospital will replace the current Aberdeen Maternity Hospital and will incorporate a bridge that for the first time will directly link Maternity services to Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital.

Paula explained the significance of this addition: “Currently if a baby requires urgent surgery, staff at the Maternity Hospital have to call an ambulance to transfer the baby to the Children’s Hospital. It’s a very short journey but the logistics involved add enormous challenge, complexity and delay that there just isn’t time for when you’re dealing with a critically ill baby. The Archie Foundation helped fund some of the equipment used in these transfers and we’re now aiming to raise £2m to provide more specialist equipment. Our fundraising will also help enhance the hospital environment at the Baird to make it feel less clinical and more homely and welcoming, which numerous studies have shown makes a really positive difference in terms of healthcare outcomes.”

The Baird Appeal Coast 2 Coast cyclists are hoping they can raise enough money to fund all the artworks on the 2nd floor wards and corridors including the sanctuary window artworks and the crucial link bridge between the Baird and ARI and RACH.

Over the past 14 years, 35 local charities have benefited from fundraising from bp’s Coast 2 Coast, with £2,013,487.68 raised to date.

If you would like to donate to Paula’s page visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/paulac2c14 or to donate to wider bp Coast 2 Coast Archie Baird Hospital Appeal visit, https://www.justgiving.com/team/C2CBairdHospital

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