A group of BTCC drivers took time away from their schedules ahead of the Croft race weekend to visit staff and patients at Darlington Memorial Hospital as part of the championship’s ongoing community initiative.
Daryl De Leon (WSR), Daniel Lloyd (Restart Racing), Lewis Selby (NAPA Racing UK), Ryan Bensley (Speedworks Corolla Racing) and Nick Halstead (Steel Seal with Power Maxed Racing) made the trip to the County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust hospital on Friday (4 September), spending the afternoon meeting some of the people who provide vital care and support to the local community.
Their visit began with a meet and greet at Hollies Restaurant, giving hospital staff the opportunity to meet the drivers, chat and take photographs, with Kwik Fit merchandise also handed out during the session.
From there, the group headed to Ward 31, Trauma and Orthopaedics, where they spent time speaking with patients and staff before continuing their visit behind the scenes at the hospital’s Pathology Department.
During a guided tour of the department, the drivers heard more about the work carried out by its teams, including how samples are processed and analysed and the important role the service plays in supporting the diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of patients.
It provided an opportunity for the drivers to spend time with members of the community surrounding Croft Circuit, while also learning more about some of the vital work taking place across Darlington Memorial Hospital.
As part of the BTCC’s continued commitment to engaging with communities around its race venues, the visit also recognised the individuals and organisations making a difference within them.
Following the visit, the BTCC and wider BTCC community would like to thank everyone at County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust and Darlington Memorial Hospital for their warm welcome and for the critical work they continue to do in supporting patients and families across the region.
Nicola McKeague, Blood Sciences Department Manager at County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, said:
“It was fantastic to welcome the British Touring Car Championship to Darlington Memorial Hospital and there was a real buzz around the hospital throughout the afternoon.
“The drivers and teams were incredibly generous with their time. They spoke with patients, posed for photographs and showed a genuine interest in our colleagues and the work they do every day.
“It was also a great opportunity to showcase some of the work that people may not always see. Our Pathology colleagues put a huge amount of effort into showing our visitors what happens behind the scenes and explaining the vital role their services play in patient care.
“We are very grateful to everyone from the BTCC for taking the time to visit, and to all of our colleagues who helped make the afternoon such a success.”
Simon Melluish, BTCC Communications Director, said:
“It was a pleasure and privilege for some of our drivers to visit Darlington Memorial Hospital and spend time with patients and staff.
“We always hope to bring a bit of enjoyment to everyone’s day, but visits like this are incredibly educational and rewarding for us, particularly seeing some of the work that goes on behind the scenes and to meet so many people who contribute to looking after patients.
“The welcome we received was brilliant and we’d like to thank everyone at the hospital for having us.”
