MILES will mean much-needed cash for a children’s charity now that a local company have decided to turn the distance they travel each day into hard cash for the charity.

The Pepper Foundation, which cares for children suffering from life-limiting or terminal illnesses in the Hertfordshire and Buckingham area, will be the beneficiary of the donations made by Gamestec. The company, whose regional distribution centre is in St Albans, will drive a Pepper Foundation branded van and donate a penny to the foundation for every mile it covers.

Paul Watkins, manager of the distribution centre, said: “My colleagues were really keen to support the Pepper Foundation as they are a well-loved local charity.

“Not only do the Foundation’s nurses do a great job helping children with life-limiting or terminal conditions, they also offer invaluable support to the children’s families.

“The sponsored van does, on average, over 100 miles per day, so in time we hope to raise a significant sum of money to support the Pepper Foundation.”

Gamestec, which works in the gaming and amusement machines business, also made an initial donation of �250 to mark the start of their partnership.

Money raised by the Foundation funds children’s nurses who provide professional and loving care on a 24-hour basis throughout the year to children who need it most in the area.

Jonathan Tweed, a trustee of the Pepper Foundation, said: “Every penny makes a real difference to the lives of the children our nurses care for and their families.

“We think this is a great way to raise funds and having the branded van out on the roads in the area each day will also help raise the profile of the Pepper Foundation.”