Bath based British bobsleigh team unveil a very special sled for the new season

Watch Cari Davies' report

A Bath-based British bobsleigh team have unveiled a very special sled for the new season.

Instead of adverts, the team's bobsled will carry the badges of charities that are important to them and their families.

Usually the spots would be sold to sponsors to help raise the huge funds required for competing in the sport but this team have been able to do something different thanks to a generous donor.

They've also chosen to add a message of thanks to the NHS Credit: Team Giving Back, British bobsleigh

Pilot Brad Hall says the donor has supported the team since British bobsleigh lost it's UK Sport funding following the 2018 Winter Olympics.

"The private sponsor hasn't really asked for anything in return so we came up with the idea of supporting a load of charities instead."

The six teammates have each chosen a charity important to them and their families.

Brad's chosen charity is Pancreatic Cancer UK - he lost his Dad to the disease six years ago.

Sam Blanchet from Exeter has chosen the Wessex Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre. The Warminster based charity helped Sam with recover from a major injury earlier this year.

His grandmother also passed away from MS. Before she died Sam's Mum was her carer and had to stop school between the ages of 12 and 18.

The Lympstone based Royal Marines Charity is also on board. Brakeman Taylor Lawrence is a serving Royal Marine Commando based at RMB Chivenor in Devon.

He says he's particularly passionate about the work the charity does to support the mental health of marines and their families.

The other three team members have chosen the following charities:

  • Greg Cackett - Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance

  • Luke Dawes - Great Ormond Street and Support Our Paras

  • Nick Gleeson - Support Our Paras

The team hope that as well as raising awareness for their chosen causes they can drum up some donations for the organisations too.