Turkey on the loose in Newbury and Hungerford, as The Essential Agency raises funds for The British Heart Foundation
People in Newbury and Hungerford have been warned to be on the look-out for a man dressed as a giant turkey next week, writes Max Carter Keall.
Mike Harrison, solutions director at The Essential Agency (TEA), will be parading his way through Newbury, Hungerford and Leverton dressed as the large fowl in an effort to raise money for the British Heart Foundation (BHF) next Tuesday (December 20).
Mr Harrison and managing director, Sam Rudland, went head-to-head in a festive fundraiser for BHF as the two colleagues had 72-hours to gain as many votes as they could, with the loser having to spend the day wearing the turkey costume.
Now, Mr Harrison will have to complete a series of challenges in the costume, including shopping at Tesco and ordering an eggnog latte from Starbucks in Newbury, searching for a turkey baster on Northbrook Street and strutting down Hungerford high street.
He will then move on to Leverton where he will be put through his paces with a fitness workout by local trainer Natt Summers from Accomplish Fitness, and will polish that off with a late Christmas lunch.
So far the feathery fundraiser has raised £680 for the BHF, and the team are hoping to collect more from cash donations raised on the day.
TEA chose the charity as one of their colleagues, Ceri Jones, lost her husband of 30 years,
Bill, when cycling in March this year.
He suffered a cardiac arrest and, although he was rushed to intensive care, he died five days later, leaving behind 15-year-old daughter, Amber.
Mr Harrison said: “When Ceri lost her lifelong soulmate everyone at the company saw first-hand the devastating impact heart disease can have on a family.
“The BHF are working to stop the heartbreak that heart and circulatory conditions cause. So, I am more than happy to make a complete turkey of myself for such a worthy cause.
“I just hope no one tries to eat me whilst I am out and about on my challenges.”
Samantha Wilkins, BHF fundraising manager, said: “We never cease to be surprised by the inventive ways people support our work and this is certainly one of the more unusual.
“It is only thanks to the generous support of companies like The Essential Agency that we can keep our research going and discover the treatments and cures of the future.”