In Memory of Steve Tate – Besseges Team Beats Hadrian’s Wall
One year after the loss of our colleague and friend Steve Tate during the Marie Curie Hadrian’s Wall challenge, members of the Besseges team returned to Northumberland to complete the walk in his memory.
On Saturday 4th July 2026, our team took on Marie Curie’s Beat Hadrian’s Wall challenge, with participants choosing either the 11 or 20-mile route. Along the way, we raised more than £3,000 for Marie Curie and remembered someone who had been a much-loved part of Besseges for more than three decades.
Remembering Steve
Steve joined Besseges in 1989 and became a familiar and trusted face to customers, colleagues and friends across the industry during his many years with the company. As a long-serving technical sales engineer, Steve brought a wealth of knowledge to his role, but it was his willingness to help people and his warm personality that made such a lasting impression.
Steve was also a long-time supporter of Marie Curie, regularly raising money for the charity and supporting its work. Returning to Hadrian’s Wall to complete the challenge he had started, while raising money for a cause that meant so much to him, felt like a fitting way to remember him. As Managing Director Mark Savarizadeh put it:
“Steve was a huge part of Besseges for many years and raising money for a cause he cared about felt like a fitting way to remember him.”
Taking on Hadrian’s Wall
Organising a group of Besseges employees for a 20-mile hike was always going to require a certain amount of planning. Sales Manager Stuart took on the unenviable task of organising the team, although his carefully laid plans occasionally encountered what he described as “herding cats”, with participants changing distances, misplacing race numbers and revising travel arrangements.
Our Managing Director and his wife taking on the 11-mile walk.
The 11-mile team make their way along the route.
How Stuart also managed to coordinate the office World Cup sweepstake and help deliver one of the company’s strongest sales months of the year at the same time remains something of a mystery.
The team’s athletic preparation was equally impressive. The evening before the challenge involved a substantial meal and several pints in a Carlisle Wetherspoons.
20 miles, 11 miles and one very fast Besseges runner
On the morning of the challenge, Mark E and Clive took on the 20-mile route with rather more competitive intentions than the rest of us. Mark E’s ambition to put in a fast time paid off spectacularly as he finished 4th overall out of more than 250 participants, an outstanding achievement on a demanding course.
The rest of the team were perhaps more focused on simply reaching the finish line in one piece. Both the 11-mile and 20-mile routes provided plenty of steep climbs, uneven ground and spectacular views across the Northumberland countryside. There were also, inevitably, moments when some members of the team questioned exactly why they had signed up for this.
Our 11 mile team celebrate at the finish line!
Our 20 mile team ready to take on the walk.
By the finish, there were tired legs, aching feet and sore muscles all round, but also a huge sense of achievement, and there was an especially poignant moment waiting at the finish line. Beryl, Steve’s wife, was there to cheer the team home, making the occasion even more meaningful for everyone involved.
Raising money for Marie Curie
Most importantly, the challenge has raised more than £3,000 for Marie Curie. The charity provides vital care and support for people living with terminal illness and their families, including nursing care, practical support and bereavement services.
For the Besseges team, supporting Marie Curie made the challenge even more significant because it was a cause Steve himself had supported for many years. The sponsorship page remains open, so if you would still like to contribute to this wonderful cause, you can continue to donate here.
Our 11 mile team waiting for their walk to begin.
Thank you to everyone who supported us!
Everyone at Besseges would like to thank all of our customers, suppliers, family members, friends and colleagues who donated, took part or supported the team. Your generosity helped turn a difficult anniversary into something positive and ensured that Steve’s legacy continues to make a difference.
Once the aches and pains had finally worn off, the team could look back with enormous pride on what was achieved. It was a tough challenge, a memorable day and, most importantly, a chance to remember a valued colleague and friend while supporting a cause that meant so much to him.
Rest in peace Steve, you’re missed by everyone!
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