The Skanska project team building the new Royal Papworth Hospital is this year’s Easter bunny star helper, collecting and distributing over 1,000 chocolate eggs to 27 local good causes.
The Cambridgeshire-based team hoped its appeal would be supported, but didn’t dare dream that it would be to the extent where the team could make a large model of the landmark building from Easter eggs.
The collection, which took place over several weeks, saw rooms on the project site used to store the sweet treats. These were then divided between charities, schools, hospitals and other worthy causes and distributed by team members in a logistical marathon.
The donations came from many of the Skanska team, plus subcontractors, who collectively amassed a grand total of 1,096 chocolate eggs.
Sarah Duffin, office manager and Phil Savill, construction manager, for Skanska, along with Paul Tyler from Avondale, visited several places to share the goodies, including Royal Papworth Hospital's Cystic Fibrosis Unit where they surprised patients with a sack full of chocolate eggs.
“We wanted to do something for some of the smaller good causes in the area and it's been an absolute pleasure to deliver them," said Sarah.
Local good causes to benefit from the charitable donations include:
| St Ives Nursery | Emmaus Homelessness charity |
| Sunflower Care Cottenham | Peter Pan Pre-School |
| Swavesey Primary School PTA | Rosie Hospital Lady Mary Ward |
| Women’s Refuge | Shout out to Epilepsy |
| Jigsaw Preschool, Sawston | Wintercomfort Homeless, Cambridge |
| Swavesey Rainbows | Dementia Day Centre, Cambridgeshire |
| Aurora Meldreth Manor School | Impington Village College |
| C2 Childrens Cancer Ward, Addenbrookes Hospital | Blue Smile, Cambridgeshire |
| The Sick Children’s Trust | Prospects Trust |
| Royal Papworth Hospital Cystic Fibrosis Unit | Spring Common Academy, Huntingdon |
| Granta School, Linton | Gretton School for Autism and Asperger's Syndrome |
| Wrenn Academy, Doddington | Family in Sawston following a house fire |
| Papworth Trust | Paediatric Day Unit, Addenbrookes Hospital |
Sarah, who also organised the charity drive, concluded: “Wow! I can’t describe how incredibly grateful I am to all of my Skanska and subcontractor colleagues. I offer my thanks to everyone.
“The way that the team has contributed is inspiring."
Gretton School took to Twitter to share their thanks on receiving a donation: “The Easter Bunny has visited Gretton!! Thank you to everyone from @SkanskaUKplc, Avondale and all of the Trade Contractors at @RoyalPapworth for your amazing generosity to our students #AutismAwarenessWeek https://t.co/XcMrqcrWqC.”