A CHALLENGE to raise £100,000 for Cancer Research is close to being met thanks to the fundraising efforts of staff at York-headquartered shoe retailer Pavers.

The company's managing director Stuart Paver challenged staff to raise £50,000, with the business then matching their efforts to result in a £100,000 donation to the national charity.

With the funds due to be presented at the company's annual conference in March, staff are closing in on their target with more than £42,000 raised to date.

Mark Granger, head of logistics at Pavers Shoes, which has its head office in Northminster Business Park, Upper Poppleton, said: "It's part of our strategy that we always set aside an amount for charity. We have a pot of money and try and support as many charities as we can as part of our commitment to support the local community.

"This is probably the biggest single fundraising target we have ever set.

"Cancer Research is a charity close to the heart of our business, and we have been amazing by how the challenge has been received by staff.

"We have done company fundraising events, and individuals have taken it upon themselves to set their own challenges."

One of the fundraisers included the Tour de Pavers, which saw a team of 11 head office staff cycle 50 miles across Yorkshire, with two runners taking on a ten mile course.

The team raised £7,500 with match funding from the company bringing the total to £15,000.

The efforts of Pavers staff were recongised by Cancer Research when the charity invited two employees to be guests at the official Stand Up To Cancer event, aired on Channel Four.

Beth Morgan-Hendersonk, commercial manager at Pavers, said: "Cancer Research said they have never worked with a company that has embraced the charity in the way we have as a medium sized business.

"It has been a real success."

Other fundraising efforts include £600 collected during a head office "pie day" with staff paying to throw cream pies at colleagues, and a teamof employees tackling Tough Mudder, a half-marthaon military-style obstalce course.

To support the Pavers team and their fundraising efforts visit www.justgiving.com/company/Paversshoes