Pictured above: (l-r) Marc Neville, Caroline Thomas, Ruth
Walton, Lisa Bennett, Gary Neville, Ian Clorley, Jo Leaver, Tim
Hurdiss, Andrew Cann and Scooby the dog
Staff at a leading Coventry property group are to celebrate a
special anniversary with a charity trek.
The Deeley Group celebrates its 75th anniversary this year and
to mark the occasion a group of its workers are to walk 75 miles on
the south coast in April.
And they hope to raise £7,500 for the Arden Cancer Centre
in Coventry and the Acorns Children's Hospice with their
exploits.
The group of companies, which has construction and developments
divisions, was founded by George Deeley in 1936.
He carved a reputation for building the best air raid shelters
in Coventry during the Second World War, but the group has grown
into a leading regional developer which has completed projects
across the UK and abroad.
Peter Deeley said it was the staff who suggested the coastal
trek.
"We want to mark the year in a number of ways, including raising
funds for some local and regional charities," he said.
"We are planning a calendar of events starting with the walk. A
couple of staff members came up with the idea and around a dozen
have signed up to take part.
"Coast walking is lovely but it is also very hard going and they
have been training. They aim to complete the 75 miles over a long
weekend."
Group financial director Andrew Cann is leading the group - and
its fitness training.
"While the Deeley Group has a national reputation for the
quality of its work, we are very much a part of Coventry's post war
history and wanted to mark the anniversary by raising funds for
local charities," he said.
"There was no shortage of volunteers to the walk which is across
quite a testing stretch from Lyme Regis to Bournemouth - and they
are training hard."