A TEAM of 25 employees from Danone Nutricia Early Life Nutrition in Trowbridge raised money for three local charities by completing the Bristol 10K dressed as vegetables on Sunday.

The group, which ran on behalf of the company based at White Horse Business Park, took on the challenge to support three local charities; Storehouse Foodbank, Stepping Stones District Specialist Centre and Send a Cow.

Employees dressed up as peas, broccoli, cauliflower and carrots, after being inspired to do so by the company’s new Cow & Gate Friends range of savoury, vegetable-based pouches designed to encourage healthy eating habits.

“We are all very pleased that the team of 25 people from Danone Nutricia Early Life Nutrition were able to complete the Bristol 10k dressed as vegetables,” said Mark Bentley, senior brand manager at Danone.

“Along the way we heard plenty of shouts of ‘come on veggies’ and a few comments that we are ‘encouraging healthy eating’, so we must have done something right.

“We were raising money to support three fantastic local charities, and our target was £5,000 to split equally amongst the Storehouse Foodbank, Stepping Stones and Send a Cow.  

“The sponsorship money is still coming in and so far our online fundraising stands at £2,435 with offline monies still to be added to the total. The company has kindly agreed to match what we have raised, so we should easily smash our original £5,000 target.”

Send a Cow is a Bath-based international development charity that works with poor African farmers to promote self-sufficiency through the development of small sustainable businesses.

Trowbridge-based Stepping Stones is an opportunity group for children with special needs, while Storehouse Food Bank is an independent project set up to support vulnerable families, couples and individuals in the Trowbridge and surrounding areas.

For more information or to donate, visit http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/VeggieFriends