Ground Control employees raise £50,000 honouring beloved colleague Simon Wiggins

Fundraising for the RNLI as the maintenance division's ‘Charity of the Year’

In a touching tribute to beloved colleague, Simon Wiggins, who sadly passed away in 2024, Ground Control’s maintenance division has undertaken a year of fundraising and volunteering for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

Inspired by the charity’s lifesaving work and his many treasured seaside holidays with his sons, Lewis and Lucas, Simon chose the charity, which his colleagues and friends have worked tirelessly for, as fundraisers and volunteers.

Tweleve Ground Control team members about to start their hike, posing in front of a national park sign

Nationwide Fundraising for Simon Wiggins

Colleagues within maintenance have undertaken monthly challenges to raise over £20,000 for the RNLI, which has been pound-for-pound match funded by Ground Control to see a total of over £50,000 donated.

Led by teams and individuals, the fundraising has included a series of challenges, raising important funds to support the operations of the RNLI, but also to spread awareness of their fantastic work.

A series of national hikes and walks that included on-route stops at RNLI lifeboat stations.

Physical challenges, including a 126-mile indoor cycle, a sponsored run equivalent to the distance of the M25, and a 50km rowing challenge.

Ongoing events such as car washes, quiz nights, bingo sessions, and sponsored silences continue the fundraising momentum throughout the whole year.

Fundraisers holding charity donation buckets, dressed in lifejackets

A Lasting Legacy

To commemorate Simon’s memory, Simon’s family, colleagues from Ground Control and members of the Wells-next-the-Sea RNLI crew gathered at the lifeboat station for a special plaque unveiling in Simon’s honour. Ground Control also donated to Exmouth’s Launch a Memory lifeboat, with decals on the side of the lifeboat now proudly bearing the names of Simon and his sons Lewis and Lucas. 

Members of Ground Control and Simon's Family in front on an RNLI lifeboat

Katherine Smith, who has passionately led this project throughout, added:

When our colleague Simon sadly passed away last year, we knew we wanted to honour his memory in a meaningful way. It was Simon himself who nominated the RNLI to be our Charity of the Year while in hospice care, reflecting his love of the sea and deep respect for the RNLI’s lifesaving mission. 

Over the past year, it has been both an honour and a privilege to support the RNLI not just through fundraising, but by coming together as a team to do good. We have run, walked, cycled, baked, dyed our hair, braved ice buckets, and even dressed up as a rat all in the name of saving lives at sea. It has brought us closer and shown how powerful it can be when business and community unite.