Derek and Ingrid Anderson of Powercell (right) presenting a cheque on behalf of BITA to Sandra Williams (left) of The SCT.

British Industrial Truck Association (BITA) members have supported The Sick Children's Trust (SCT) for the second consecutive year with funds raised from a charity raffle at BITA's summer ball in Stratford-upon-Avon.

BITA members Derek and Ingrid Anderson of Powercell Industrial Battery Engineers Ltd presented a GBP2,125 (USD4,363.47) cheque to the trust's representative at Rainbow House last week.

Ingrid suggested BITA support the trust after staying in Rainbow House at Great Ormond Street Hospital in 2004 when her son Joe, then eight, was ill.

Ingrid praises Rainbow House for being "comfortable, clean and inviting".
"When your child becomes ill, it is stressful.
"Generally, the hospital provides a bed or a chair for one parent and the other has to try and find accommodation."

She says a bed is not guaranteed, adding stress for parents.

"Luckily the SCT was able to provide a room for my husband to allow us to bring our other son up to see Joe. As it turned out, that was our last weekend with Joe and it is with our eternal thanks that SCT enabled us to be together as a family for a short while."

The SCT has been providing accommodation for sick children's families for 25 years. It is wholly funded by voluntary donations and helps about 3,900 families every year. It costs the trust GBP25 (USD51.34) a night to house a family. Families can stay for as long as they need.

Powercell Industrial Battery Engineers Ltd, based near Stansted, Essex, supplies a range of motive power batteries and chargers.