Nearly £34,000 was raised for Bristol hospital charity Above & Beyond by building contractor Dribuild’s annual charity summer afternoon of racing at Bath Racecourse.
The Keynsham-based firm hosted the event, which attracted businesses from across the South West, as part of its fundraising programme for Above & Beyond, its Charity of the Year. 
The company is raising funds for urgent research at Bristol’s hospitals into the treatment of Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP) – a debilitating auto-immune illness in which platelets in the blood are destroyed causing potentially life-threatening bleeding and severe tiredness.
HSBC, Maxwells Chartered Accountants and Octagon Consultancy were among businesses treated to a full day’s racing as well as tombola and games with a charity auction hosted by BBC Radio Bristol’s Geoff Twentyman.
All proceeds from the day went towards Dribuild’s pledged target of £50,000.
Dribuild managing director Matt Tyler said: “Following on from the success of last year’s charity event, we were thrilled to be back again as race day sponsor, raising vital funds for a charity close to our hearts.
“Above & Beyond is a fantastic organisation whose work stretches from providing the latest equipment to funding new research in Bristol’s city centre hospitals – no doubt we’ve all been touched at some point in our lives by the brilliant care the doctors and nurses provide.
“The support and generous donations we have received from all of those present has been incredible. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has contributed towards our target of £50,000, which we’re now well on our way to achieving.” 
Above & Beyond specifically raises funds for all nine of Bristol’s city centre hospital sites – including the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, Bristol Royal Infirmary and Bristol Haematology and Oncology Centre – to make a real difference to patient care.
Each year it raises an estimated £3m for projects to improve hospital environment, fund innovative research, provide state-of-the-art equipment and support staff training and development.
Above & Beyond head of corporate partnerships Lorna Clarke, pictured with the Dribuild management team, said: “We’re thrilled to have been chosen as Dribuild’s charity of the year and are so grateful of all the efforts of both Dribuild and its partners.
“It’s only thanks to the support of businesses such as these that we can continue to go above and beyond for Bristol’s hospitals. Every penny really does count and the funds raised from today’s events will be invaluable to helping progress the research into ITP.”
Companies wishing to join Dribuild in supporting Above & Beyond should contact Lorna on 0117 370 0842.
