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At Cross Street Garage we have a very strong bond with Action Medical Research. Since 2014 we have been fundraising for this amazing charity. Over the past 4 years members of the Cross Street Team have raised over £40,000 with the help from some amazing local companies; Smarter Media, Snap On Tools, Smart Designs, ARI Fleet, GA Solutions and not to forget the amazing friends and family members that got involved. 

This year our Site Manager (Dan Sinclair) and Sales Manager (Shaun Rudman) will be accompanied by our long serving ex Service Advisor Gurj Khaira and his wife Harpavan Khaira when they take on the London marathon on the 28th April 2019.A few months later Dan and Shaun will take a team of 11 Riders on Action’s 20TH ANNIVERSARY ride. 

Kicking off in London they will ride along the rolling fields and villages of rural Kent, passing orchards and traditional oast houses and tackling the North Downs before taking the ferry from Dover to Calais. In France they’ll head South through ancient Desvres onto Abbeville, on the River Somme. Abbeville suffered badly from WW2 air raids, but its beautiful Flemish-style architecture is still in evidence. The next day they will leave Abbeville behind them and they will follow the River Somme east out of the town in the direction of Amiens. These lands are renowned for the terrible battles of the First World War. Their route soon turns south and will finish the day in Beauvais. Their final day’s cycling takes them over the river Théram and south of Beauvais towards the great capital city, heading towards the small town of Meru and continue south through beautiful countryside bringing them to the suburbs of Paris where they will make their way to the big finale under the Eiffel Tower! That evening they will celebrate with a few glasses of bubbly before heading out to see the sights of the capital. The adventure concludes with the fantastic opportunity to catch the action of the Tour de France.

In between this the team will hold a number of numerous events including a horse racing night, poker night, children’s party and numerous fun days with amazing stars like Paddington Bear along with some of the Paw Patrol attending. 

The team would massively appreciate any support, prizes and donations. We would also welcome anyone that would like to join us on the ride.

Cross Street Garage has been named an Isuzu Truck authorised repairer for Swindon. Boosting Isuzu Truck aftersales support along the M4 corridor, Cross Street Garage has four locations in the town. The company recently took over the former Greenmeadow Commercial Services site on The Ridgeway in preparation for this appointment. 

The new 4-acre site has undergone a £70,000 refurbishment. The freshly painted workshop has five commercial vehicle bays and the location will be supported by six technicians and four support staff to offer aftersales care. 

Sat Nijjar, managing director for Cross Street Garage, said: “We’re a family business, which is underlined in our approach to both our team and our customers. We believe if our staff are happy and motivated, our customers can see that and really feel the difference – it’s an approach that is shared by Isuzu Truck UK, which is why we’re delighted to be working with them.

“We have several customers which have been operating Isuzu trucks for years and they absolutely love them. We know this is the right move for our business and we’re excited to be directly supporting such a huge global brand; it’ll be interesting to see what the future holds.”

As an authorised repairer Cross Street Garage’s workshops are equipped to Isuzu’s standards and able to complete servicing, maintenance and repairs across the Isuzu range of vehicles. This will be supported by genuine Isuzu parts. 

Tim Hicks, head of operations and product for Isuzu Truck UK, said: “Adding the new Cross Street Garage site to our authorised repairer network is hugely important for our presence in Wiltshire and beyond. They have an excellent team, with priorities that align closely with our own. We have no doubt that they will deliver outstanding support to our Isuzu Truck customers in the area.”

Two Swindon businessmen are set to conquer the towering heights of the Himalayas in a trek to the Everest Base Camp next month, all in aid of Prospect Hospice.

Meet the dynamic duo – Sat Nijjar, CEO of Cross Street Group, and Marc Stow, CEO of Plumbheat Services. Their mission? To raise funds and awareness for a cause that’s close to their hearts.

Sat and Marc, driven by their appreciation for the invaluable work of Prospect Hospice, have set their sights on this awe-inspiring trek scheduled for October. The journey to Everest Base Camp is no small feat. It demands resilience, determination, and a spirit of adventure – qualities that these two businessmen possess in abundance.

When asked about their motivation for taking on this monumental challenge, Sat Nijjar remarked, “We are incredibly appreciative of the care and support that Prospect Hospice provides to individuals and their loved ones during their most challenging times. This trek is our way of giving back to our community and helping the hospice continue its vital work.”

Gallery: Sat and Marc Everest Basecamp Fundraiser

Marc Stow echoed Sat’s sentiments, saying, “Prospect Hospice plays a crucial role in our community by offering end-of-life care and support. We want to contribute to their mission in any way we can, and this trek is an opportunity to raise both funds and awareness.”

Sat and Marc organised a charity event at Wood Street Cowork which saw around fifty friends colleagues and Swindon business people come together to raise around £4000 towards their fundraising efforts.

“It was truly heartwarming to see our friends and family come together to support our cause,” Sat Nijjar expressed with gratitude. “Every pound raised will make a difference in the lives of those in need of Prospect Hospice’s care.”

Prospect Hospice is a lifeline for many in Swindon and beyond. They provide end-of-life care that is tailored to the unique needs of each individual, offering support not only to patients but also to their loved ones during challenging times. Importantly, all their services are provided free of charge, but it costs £7.5 million annually to sustain their essential work.

If you’re inspired by the dedication of Sat and Marc and want to contribute to their mission, you can make a donation on their JustGiving page: Everest Base Camp Challenge for Prospect Hospice. Every donation, big or small, brings them one step closer to their fundraising goal.

In the words of Sat Nijjar and Marc Stow, “We appreciate your support immensely, and together, we can make a meaningful impact on the lives of those touched by Prospect Hospice’s care.”

We’re incredibly proud that Sat Nijjar (CEO) and Marc Stowe (CEO) were recognised by Prospect Hospice for taking on the challenge of trekking to Everest Basecamp. Together, they’ve already raised over £12,000 to help Prospect Hospice continue their amazing work supporting local people and families when they need it most.

A huge thank you to Prospect Hospice for the kind words and for everything they do. And well done to Sat, Marc, and everyone who made this fundraising effort possible!

You can check out their post here: https://www.prospect-hospice.net/fundraising-support-us/your-fundraising/thank-you/

Sat and Marc Everest Basecamp is raising money for Prospect Hospice

Sat Nijjar CEO of Cross Street Group and Marc Stow CEO of PlumbHeat Services are taking on the challenge of Everest Basecamp in October 2023 to raise money for The Prospect Hospice. 

Any sponsorship donations would be deeply appreciated to help raise as much money as possible for such an amazing cause.

Dan Sinclair has done it!

The 29-year-old Sales Manager has completed the Action Medical Research London-Geneva charity bike ride.

“It was fantastic but the scorching temperatures made things difficult at times” admits the Swindon resident. “It often went above 40C and so staying hydrated was key. That and lots of suntan lotion.”

Dan set off from London on 25 July with three work colleagues to tackle the first leg of his challenge: cycling from London to Paris.

Having arrived in the French capital on Saturday 28 July, he then continued towards Geneva before returning home on Friday 3 August.

“The lads and I from ‘Cross Street Garage’ all had a great time and enjoyed the French trip; I’ve actually done that ride for Action once before and so I wanted to push myself that bit further.”

Dan has set himself the challenge of raising £20,000 by completing four physical challenges in 2018 for Action Medical Research.

He’s fundraising in memory of his baby daughter Scarlett: “My partner Emma and I were blessed with twin girls around five years ago. Both Millie and Scarlett were born with Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC).

“I had never heard of the condition, but when it affects your little ones you quickly learn.

“Sadly Scarlett passed away. We were absolutely devastated.”

Having completed the Trek the Night: Cotswold Way ,‘London to Paris’ and ‘Paris to Geneva’ challenges only one more stands in his way: the Race The Sun: Lake District in September.

Action’s Head of Events Emma Morgan said: “Dan is one of our most passionate supporters and we are so grateful for everything that he is doing to not only raise funds but also awareness of Action.

“We’re so pleased he enjoyed the London to Geneva bike ride and look forward to seeing him in the Lake District for his fourth and final challenge!”

Action is a UK-wide children’s charity which funds desperately needed research to tackle the diseases that devastate the lives of so many of our children. It has been funding medical breakthroughs since it began in 1952 including helping to introduce the first polio vaccines in the UK, developing the use of ultrasound in pregnancy and testing the rubella vaccine.

The charity is currently funding research into areas including premature birth, epilepsy, asthma, scarlet fever, cerebral palsy, brain cancer and some rare and distressing conditions.

670 miles is a long way to cycle. But that’s exactly how far Dan Sinclair and his teammates will be riding when they tackle the London-Paris-Geneva bike ride for Action Medical Research.

“It’s definitley going to be a challenge” admits the 29-year-old, “but Shaun and I rode the London-Paris leg last year, so I know what I’m getting myself into!”

Dan Sinclair is the Sales Manager at the Swindon-based ‘Cross Street Garage’.

He and three colleagues (Trevor Foster, Shaun Rudman and Mark Waring-Jones) will be starting the challenge on Wednesday 25 July and aim to complete the route on Friday 3 August.   

It forms part of a number of physical challenges that Dan is taking on for Action this year in a bid to raise £20,000:

“My wife Emma and I were blessed with twin girls around five years ago. Both Millie and Scarlett were born with Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC).

“I had never heard of the condition, but when it affects your little ones you quickly learn.

“Sadly Scarlett passed away. We were absolutely devastated.

“I enjoy keeping active and while searching for events to take part in I stumbled across Action and found out more about the many areas of research the charity helps fund. From that day forward I wanted to do what I could to help raise money to find future cures.”

So far this year Dan has taken part in the Trek The Night: Cotswold Way.

Once he completes this marathon bike ride challenge, he’ll take on the Race The Sun: Lake District in September.  

You can find out more about his year so far – and sponsor him – here.

Action is a UK-wide children’s charity which funds desperately needed research to tackle the diseases that devastate the lives of so many of our children. It has been funding medical breakthroughs since it began in 1952 including helping to introduce the first polio vaccines in the UK, developing the use of ultrasound in pregnancy and testing the rubella vaccine.

The charity is currently funding research into areas including premature birth, epilepsy, asthma, scarlet fever, cerebral palsy, brain cancer and some rare and distressing conditions.

THE Cross Street Garage has raised more than £1,500 for charity with the help of none other than Paddington Bear himself.

Staff at the garage have been raising money for Action Medical Research for several years and this time, they are aiming to hit £20,000 by the end of 2018.

For their first fundraiser of the year, they held a family fun day with games, prizes, an auction, and a very special guest from darkest Peru.

Dan Sinclair, the garage’s manager, said: “It went really well, it was a good day.

“Kids went crazy for Paddington, they loved him.

“We raised much more than we thought we would.

“Before this, we had around £1,000 that had been donated by businesses we work with and friends and family, so now we’re already up to over £2,600.”

Dan ‘s daughters were supported by the charity when they were born weighing just over a pound each.

Cross Street employees will Trek the Night through the Cotswolds on June 9, and Dan and two colleagues will cycle from London to Paris on July 25 – with Dan cycling for an extra three days to Geneva afterwards.

To donate, visit action.org.uk/sponsor/CrossStreet2018

A CROSS Street Garage manager is trying to raise thousands for the charity that supported his daughters when they were born weighing just over a pound each.

Dan Sinclair’s daughters Scarlet and Millie needed to stay in incubators and undergo urgent operations when they were newborns.

Scarlet sadly didn’t survive the operation, but Millie is alive and well today.

Dan said: “Without the help of charities like Action Medical Research, Millie wouldn’t have made it. She’s five now and you would never have guessed what she’s gone through. I want to give something back and help kids who were in her situation. It’s such a good cause that’s really close to my heart.”

Staff at the garage have been raising money for Action Medical Research for several years and this time, they are aiming to hit £20,000 by the end of 2018.

First, they’re hosting a family fun day at their County Road garage this Saturday from 9am to 4pm, with Paddington bear, sport-y games, facepainting, a barbecue, a charity auction, a raffle, and more.

Then, 14 employees will Trek the Night through the Cotswolds on June 9, and Dan and two colleagues will cycle from London to Paris on July 25 – with Dan cycling for an extra three days to Geneva afterwards.

A friend of Dan’s is taking part in a ‘Scumrun’ across Europe in May, where participants drive across the continent for four days in a vehicle that costs less than £300.

Dan added: “Everyone’s helping and getting involved, we’ve put a lot of work into this. The fun day is something a bit different, there’s hockey, football, NERF, and golf games we’ve tailored to the motor trade by using our vans and lorries. I should probably do some training for the bike ride but it’s hard to find the time and last year I just turned up with my bike for the London to Paris route and did fine. It was hard work but it was like a holiday, away from work and all worries for a few days, it was nice. I’d like to do something like that every year for charity until I just can’t do it anymore.”

To donate, visit action.org.uk/sponsor/CrossStreet2018

TV personality Mike Brewer popped up in Swindon this week, working with a local garage in a “Classic Rumble” which sees him doing up a car for charity.

Working with Cross Street Garages, he is restoring a 1989 Ford Escort back to its former glory. The vehicle is due for auction later this year at the Birmingham NEC’s Classic Motor Show as part of a competition against his on-screen counterpart Ant Anstead.

The money raised will be donated to the Marie Crawford-Boyd Foundation, which helps sufferers of the terminal illness Wegener’s vasculitis, and Harrison’s Fund, who are dedicated fight duchenne muscular dystrophy.

“In conjunction with Lancaster Car Insurance I’ve taken on a challenge called the Classic Rumble,” said Mike. “We’ve got two fantastic charities.”

Explaining how he chose the Swindon garage, he said: “This is my project – a 1989 Ford Escort XR3I. When I got the car, I needed to work with people who understood this car.”

One of the mechanics at Cross Street is a member of an Escort RS owners club, and through him, he got in touch with Sat Nijar, the managing director of Cross Street.

“It’s great for them to find a local company in Swindon,” said Sat. “It puts Swindon on the map, and Swindon is a car sort of town anyway, isn’t it?

“We’ve got admin staff sourcing parts, and apprentice staff helping out with it. It’s for a charity, so it’s nice to be giving something back.

“When Mike asked us to do it he didn’t think we would go in this deep.”

Mike was enthusiastic about the prospect of the car, currently nothing more than a bright red shell, being ready in time for November’s auction.

He said: “When you take on a project with a car the very first thing is to join an owners’ club – that’s a general tip for everyone.

“Actually, when we got it, it was quite a solid car – there were a few areas of rust. Everything has been restored and put back where it should be.

“The engine was incredibly tired, so we’ve rebuilt it.”

Asked how much he hoped to raise, Mike said: “That’s the million-dollar question. We don’t know: with a car like this, it comes down to the time and the room and how generous people are feeling for charity.

“One sold recently for £35,000 so you never know. If it makes £20,000, I’ll be drinking champagne on the rostrum.”

THE loss of his tiny premature daughter four years ago is the inspiration for car sales manager Dan Sinclair to tackle a gruelling intercontinental cycle ride.

Born four years ago in January at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, little Scarlett was a twin. But while sister Millie survived, she suffered a complication with her bowels and died a month later.

Since then Dan from Stratton and his best mate Shaun Rudman from Royal Wootton Bassett, have devoted themselves to raising money for Action Medical Research, which funds research to help find new cures and treatments for babies and children facing all kinds of conditions.

But when they mount their trusty steeds and pedal off towards France tomorrow on a 300-mile route they know they are in for some serious saddle soreness.

It is the first serious cycling they have done since their teens when they took part in a 24-hour cycle marathon to raise money for a cycle speedway club.

“We haven’t really trained,” he confessed. “We planned on training. We bought the bikes probably four or five months ago, but we have just not really had time.”

Working six days a week and family life – both of them have young children – had got in their way and despite their good intentions the training plan had fallen by the wayside.

As they prepare to set off from Crystal Palace, having stocked up on talcum powder and Vaseline, they will be hoping for fair weather and a following wind.

“We’re going for it,” Dan said. “We hope to be able to stick with the group, but there are people on the ride who have done the route before and probably ride very day.”

It’s the first cycle ride the men, both sales managers for Cross Street Garage, have done for the charity.

So far their efforts have raised around £4,000 for the charity and have included completing midnight plod – a 50km trek through the night – on two occasions.

But they are keen to raise more, which is why they signed up for the charity’s London to Paris ride, which is one of the largest of its kind. So far they have raised more than £2,400 of their £4,000 target.

The charity founded in 1952 by a father searching for a cure for polio, paid for early research that helped to develop the first oral vaccine. Since then it has spent more than £117 million funding important breakthroughs like the discovering the importance of taking folic acid before and during pregnancy to prevent children being born with spina bifida. It is currently providing financial support for research into conditions like asthma, cerebral palsy, malignant brain tumours, blindness and congenital heart disease.

Work to find new ways to help babies struggling in the womb and predicting who is at risk from stillbirth is also being backed along with protecting newborns from the often fatal bowel condition necrotising enterocolitis.

To sponsor Dan and Shaun visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/2017london2paris