A mum-of-two with incurable cancer joined colleagues for the last mile of a 200-mile charity walk she inspired.
Around 70 staff from the Everbright Group’s hotels took on the gruelling 10-day trek from North Wales to Cumbria in relay teams to raise money for Breast Cancer Now.
The challenge was sparked by the determination of much-loved colleague Fiona Sellars, of Appleby, the group’s marketing and support manager.
Known to colleagues and friends as Fi, she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022 and has since undergone more than 50 rounds of treatment, including chemotherapy, immunotherapy and surgery.
Her resilience in the face of the incurable diagnosis became the driving force behind the ambitious fundraising effort which also marks the hotel group’s 10th anniversary.
After weeks of preparation and planning, the fundraisers were waved off from Everbright’s Belmont Hotel in Llandudno.
They visited sister hotels on their 200-mile trek, including Llandudno Bay Hotel, The Wild Pheasant and Spa in Llangollen, Rossett Hall near Wrexham and Stone Cross Manor in Kendal, before crossing the finishing line outside The George Hotel in Penrith.
At every hotel during the challenge, the fundraisers were warmly welcomed by their colleagues.
Fiona walked the first part of the first leg to cheer the fundraisers on their way and she was there to complete the last mile of the final leg as the team of fundraisers marched through Penrith.
Fiona thanked everyone for supporting the challenge, including her two daughters, Molly, 27, and Lola, 20, who took part in the final stage.
She said: “They have all been so amazing, it’s all been very emotional, I just can’t take it all in, it’s all a bit unreal.
“The team at The George have been like my family for 19 years so it was wonderful to finish the challenge at the hotel.
“It is a group achievement and the whole thing has just been ‘wow’.
“And it is great to see the money coming in, it is so humbling.
“To see the walkers coming into Penrith, all with their Breast Cancer Now T-shirts on, I have never experienced that kind of feeling before, it was very special.
“I am so proud of Molly and Lola for taking part in the challenge and they have been with me through the ups and downs, I am so proud of them.”
Fiona paid special tribute to the company’s Adrian Barsby who walked the entire route, and Becky Shields, who cycled the full route.
She said: “Adrian is honestly amazing. He kept jolly all along the way and has done something so special.
“And for Becky to do the whole thing on a bike is incredible, it’s a remarkable achievement.”
Among those who took part in the last leg was Emma Tomkinson, the longest serving member of staff at The George Hotel.
Assistant housekeeper Emma, who has worked at the hotel for 23 years, said: “I really wanted to take part in the walk because of Fiona, we are really good friends, very close friends.
“The walk was okay, I joined the challenge at Shap and did 10 miles, it wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be.
“Fiona is just amazing, she has been going through so much and she is just an absolute trooper.
“She has had so many appointments and treatment, and she is an absolute inspiration to all the staff.”
Colleagues who didn’t take part in the walk and cycle also did their bit to contribute to the fundraiser by organising various money-spinning initiatives.
The team at The George Hotel organised a raffle, with the money raised going towards the overall total.
The hotel team was on hand to welcome the walkers home at the finish line.
They were joined by Janette Drew, community fundraising manager for Breast Cancer Now.
Members of Penrith Lions Club also attended the celebration, with the group donating £500.
Adrian Barsby, 66, said meeting members of the public on the way who donated to the cause and told the fundraisers about their own cancer battles was “absolutely humbling”.
He said: “There were 17 of us taking part in the final leg from Shap, which was great, that really kept us all going.
“During the last leg, Fiona and several others joined us for the final mile, raising the number of walkers to 25.
“The support from throughout the hotel group has been wonderful.
“The fact that we are all making an effort means it is drawing attention to the charity and we are recognising the qualities of Fiona as an individual and we are pulling so many people within the company together.
“We set off knowing what we wanted to achieve in terms of Fiona but to have it brought home to you how many lives are touched by breast cancer, and what difference Breast Cancer Now makes in terms of research and also the support it provides, has been a privilege.”
Becky Shields, general manager at The Wild Pheasant, took on her own separate challenge by cycling the route in two days, timing her arrival at the same time the last group of walkers reached The George Hotel.
Everbright Hotels operations director Darryl Shaw took part in six of the 10 days of the challenge, including the start and finish.
He said: “It has been very humbling to meet so many people who have told us about their own cancer battles.
“It is one of these things in your life that you will always remember doing.”
The group’s managing director Lei Ma took part in four of the stages, including the start and finish.
He said: “To take part in this was absolutely amazing, the challenge was unbelievable. The charity challenge has been a very special way to mark our hotel group’s 10-year anniversary.”
A JustGiving page has been set up for the charity challenge, which has a £10,000 target.
People can donate by visiting https://justgiving.com/page/everbright10yrbreastcancernow
