WITH just a couple of weeks to go until the three-month Towergate Accumulator Challenge draws to a close, businesses across west Suffolk and Thetford are busy doing their best to raise as much money as possible for St Nicholas Hospice Care.

Teams from 52 firms have been tasked with turning a �50 stake – donated by sponsors Towergate Insurance – into as much cash as possible for the Bury St Edmunds hospice.

Among the businesses taking part is technology firm Green Duck, which has organised a five-kilometre fun run in Bury, on Sunday, September 23.

Graham Duckworth, of Green Duck, said: “The run will be great fun for all ages, so we hope people bring their children along.”

Registration starts at 9.45am and the run starts at 10.30am. It costs �10 for over-16s and �2 for under-16s. A family of two adults and two or more under-16s can register for �24. All under- 16s must be registered by an adult and accompanied on the day. Sponsorship is optional.

For more information, or to register, go to www.greenduckfunrun.co.uk, e-mail funrun@greenduck.co.uk or call 01284 700015 (choose option one).

A Newmarket hotel is calling for help to raise funds at its virtual Newmarket to Paris cycle ride. On Thursday, Bedford Lodge employees, guests, leisure members, business associates and members of the public will be taking part in a virtual cycle ride on the front lawn of the hotel. There will be two bikes and just 12 hours to cycle from Newmarket Clock Tower to the Eiffel Tower – as the crow flies – a total of 251 miles. To join the ride, contact 01638 666075. Relay tickets cost �5 for 30 minutes or �10 an hour.

A successful summer of sport initiative has seen an Elveden holiday complex race up the Accumulator Challenge leaderboard. In the Center Parcs gold medal challenge initiative, which ended along with the Olympics, the team invested its �50 stake into a stock of chocolate gold medals, which were sold for �1 each at outlets across the holiday village.

Each week the profits were re-invested in more stock and the number of outlets selling the medals increased. More than �800 was raised. The Accumulator Challenge, which is supported by the East Anglian Daily Times and the Bury St Edmunds Mercury, finishes on September 24, with prizes – including most money raised and the judges award – set to be presented at an awards evening at the West Wing, Ickworth, on September 25.