Bus firm gets on board with man's charity mission

A MAN left devastated by his brother's murder has thanked businesses for showing their support to his fundraising campaign.
By The Newsroom
Published 20th Feb 2017, 05:55 BST
Updated 1st Mar 2017, 09:44 BST

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George Gibson, left, from Stagecoach with Eugene Scardifield and his sister Becky Roe-Stacey who have been allowed to place fundraising posters in buses in memory of their brother Michael Scardifield who was murdered. Picture Ian Hargreaves (170214-1)George Gibson, left, from Stagecoach with Eugene Scardifield and his sister Becky Roe-Stacey who have been allowed to place fundraising posters in buses in memory of their brother Michael Scardifield who was murdered. Picture Ian Hargreaves (170214-1)
George Gibson, left, from Stagecoach with Eugene Scardifield and his sister Becky Roe-Stacey who have been allowed to place fundraising posters in buses in memory of their brother Michael Scardifield who was murdered. Picture Ian Hargreaves (170214-1)

Eugene Scardifield, from Hayling Island, has embarked on a fundraising mission in aid of a charity that helped him overcome his grief when his brother Michael, 40, who grew up in Portsmouth, was brutally strangled in May, 2015.

Eugene is now gearing up for an epic bike ride that will see him cycle 200 miles in two days to raise awareness and money for the charity Samm – Support After Murder and Manslaughter.

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After pounding the streets with posters and flyers about the event, he was delighted when bus firm Stagecoach agreed to display his posters on their buses.

Eugene, 38, said: ‘The support Stagecoach has shown has been completely overwhelming, I was completely taken aback. They have agreed to put 30 posters on 30 buses, which is absolutely fantastic.

‘To reach just one family that has lost someone to murder and manslaughter would make a significant impact on their lives.’

George Gibson, a supervisor at Stagecoach, said ‘I thought of how I’d deal with it if it was somebody in my family and it just hit a chord. I said we should support this guy and we should support the organisation.’

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Gas engineer Eugene said he has been bowled over by the support he’s received so far from local businesses and people.

He said that Chris Johnson, from D-Star Racewear on Hayling Island, is also supporting him by printing cycling wear for free and Steven and Joanna Young, from Capture Design, also on Hayling Island, have donated 2,500 flyers and the 30 A3 posters.

Eugene, of Restawyle Avenue, said he was grateful for the support – and hopeful that it will all help the charity reach others.

He added: ‘Even though Samm is a national charity, it is relatively unheard of – there are people out there suffering unnecessarily, which I think is a massive shame. The key thing for me is awareness. When you talk to Samm there’s a genuine connection there. They genuinely know what you’re going through, because they’re going through it as well.

‘What they do is absolutely incredible’.

To donate for Cycle for Michael visit mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/eugenescardifield1 and to follow Eugene’s story on facebook.com/cycle-for-michael-311315285909349/

Related topics:Hayling IslandPortsmouth