A local motor dealer group is once again about to embark on a challenge to raise funds for a Stoke-on-Trent charity.

The Swansway Gingerbread Enterprise Challenge will return between 19 September and 31 October.

The previous three years have raised over £22,000 but this year, the challenge is aiming to raise £12,000 to fund a part-time family support worker for 12 months working 18 hours a week.

The importance of the work done by the family support team is summed up by a Mum who has recently received support from The Gingerbread Centre.

Swansway Group will be raising funds for Stoke-on-Trent homeless charity, The Gingerbread Centre (Swansway Group).

She said: "For the first time in 35 years, I do not feel stressed or anxious and I feel like my life is getting back on track. Gingerbread has not just offered me a home when I didn't have one, it has given me the tools to become the mother that my daughter deserves." 

Established in 1977, The Gingerbread Centre provides 24-hour supported accommodation for homeless families in Staffordshire and Cheshire.

They have 33 flats and houses based across two sites in Stoke, all of which are currently occupied. Their waiting list is currently over 20 families and on average are receiving two referrals a week, which are now streaming in from across the country and not just in the surrounding areas.

The Swansway Gingerbread Enterprise Challenge is being sponsored for a fourth year by local business Swansway Motor Group, who own dealerships in Crewe, Stoke, and Stafford. 

The aim is to beat last year's record-breaking sign-up of 17 teams, this year the target is to fill all 20 competition spots. Each team that enters will be given £50 to turn into as much money as possible, aiming to reach a fundraising total of £600 for each team. 

Teams can use as much or as little of the six-week competition period to fundraise and can do so through whatever means is safe, ethical, and legal, but most importantly fun. 

The Gingerbread Centre has 22 flats and houses based in Stoke-on-Trent (Google).

For a second year in a row, the challenge is welcoming teams from local schools to get involved. The Swansway Gingerbread Enterprise Challenge is the perfect opportunity for any school to encourage creativity and the development of new skills, in a fun and safe setting, allowing the children to work as a team alongside their fellow pupils.

For businesses, it's a great opportunity to build team relationships and encourage healthy competition between different departments.  

Chris Belyavin, Fundraiser at The Gingerbread Centre commented; "We are delighted to be returning with the Swansway Gingerbread Enterprise Challenge, this year we want to smash all previous challenge records, encouraging more teams to sign up than ever before to try and raise £12,000 to fund a family support worker for those families we help. 

"We're grateful to Swansway Motor Group for their continued support with the challenge and we're looking forward to seeing what we'll achieve this year."  

For further information or to register a team contact: [email protected] or call: 01782 973491.

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