A shopping centre team in Caerphilly has finished a fundraising challenge, gathering more than £1,000 for a good cause.

Workers, shop owners, and supporters from Castle Court Shopping Centre collected £1,001 for Wales Air Ambulance through a four-week Castle Conquest Challenge throughout July, travelling 1,115 miles by running, walking, cycling, or wheeling at least one mile daily.

Participants embarked on a virtual journey visiting 74 Welsh castles.

Hannah Clark, the centre manager at Castle Court, mentioned that they established what they considered a demanding target, yet the commitment demonstrated by colleagues, retailers, and Castle Court supporters far surpassed their hopes.

Completing over 1,115 miles while raising more than £1,000 for Wales Air Ambulance is something every participant deserves great credit for.

The expedition started from outside Castle Court, facing Caerphilly Castle, and involved visits to notable sites including Chepstow, Conwy, Caernarfon, Harlech, Pembroke, and Cardiff castles.

The group exceeded both their distance and donation goals, which had initially been set at 620 miles and £500.

Ms Clark mentioned that above all, every mile contributed to supporting a charity delivering vital life-saving assistance to communities throughout the nation.

Seeing the beneficial effect the challenge had on individuals’ personal health has also been rewarding.

Wales Air Ambulance delivers urgent medical treatment across Wales around the clock and depends solely on contributions from the public, requiring approximately £13 million each year.

Christian Sullivan, regional fundraising manager for Wales Air Ambulance, mentioned that the team at Castle Court Shopping Centre had their profound thanks for gathering just over £1,000 for their life-saving operations.

Hearing how much enjoyment the team derived from the challenge, and particularly that it has motivated certain colleagues to maintain walking or moving at least a mile daily, was wonderful news.