Essex-based Balgores Leasing is celebrating its 25th anniversary year of business by committing to raise £10,000 for a local hospice.

Since October Balgores Leasing has donated £5 for every vehicle leased to help the work of Saint Francis Hospice. That was boosted at the start of the year when the company delivered 24 vehicles to Hanon Systems UK, based on the Springfield Lyons Business Park in Chelmsford.

Balgores supplied the company with a variety of vehicles from Ford, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz and Nissan.

Tim Nicholls, purchasing manager at Hanon Systems UK, said: “Balgores provided us with an extremely professional and courteous service. We chose them because they offer local support and we’re delighted with the way they were able to meet our needs within a very short period of time. We’re also delighted to support Balgores' efforts to raise £10,000 for an Essex hospice this year.”

Martin Wilson, one of two directors of Balgores Leasing, is keen to support the local hospice that cared for his father Denis Wilson.

Wilson said: “My dad spent his final days on the Inpatient Unit at the hospice where he sadly died on January 17, 2011. The night before he died we managed to get the whole family together around his bed at the hospice. It was a chance for him to say goodbye to everyone. Nothing was too much trouble for the hospice staff and I can say now that when my time comes if I could die in the way that my dad died that’s what I would like to happen.”

Wilson has already taken a table of guests to the hospice’s annual ball, held at Hylands Park in Chelmsford in October and, together with his sales manager Phil Slyfield, he will be taking aim at the hospice’s clay pigeon shooting event in August, organised by hospice supporter and sports promoter Barry Hearn.

“This is just a start,” said Wilson. “We will be encouraging our employees to raise money for the hospice by agreeing to match fund whatever they raise up to £300 per staff member as we work towards raising our target of £10,000 to support the great work of Saint Francis Hospice.”

Picture caption: Staff at Hanon Systems UK have their new lease vehicles delivered to their office in Chelmsford by Balgores Leasing.