Staff at SSTL raised over £10,000 for charity in 2012. Here's how.
SSTL are rather modest when it comes to our charitable efforts and donations. Don't get us wrong, we do LOADS, and always have but we're quiet about it. It's an in-house thing, something we do, but not something we usually brag about. But then again, well it's part of the culture of working here, so for a change we're sharing an insight into our fundraising efforts in 2012.
It all starts with our Charity Committee - a group of about a dozen staff who get together to plan events throughout the year. The Committee request nominations from staff for a charity to be supported over the year, votes are cast and then the majority of funds raised from our organised events that year are donated to the chosen charity.
Last year SSTL chose to support
Disability Challengers, a local charity in Guildford who deliver play and leisure for disabled children and young people across Surrey and Hampshire. They have playcentres in Guildford and Farnham where there are indoor and outdoor playgrounds for children and their families, and they also run parties and special events. It's all about play, fun and challenges in a safe and welcoming environment - and it's a truly great charity, doing wonderful things for a special bunch of kids and young adults.
During the year staff took part in or sponsored (or coughed up money NOT to take part in) a range of activities to raise funds for Disability Challengers:
Wear a Hat Day - we paid money to wear hats...we paid double not to wear hats...and we sponsored members of our Leadership team to wear a stupid hat!
Clothes Swishing - selling good quality secondhand clothes
Chilli Plant Sale - the plants are grown by a member of staff and boy are they hot!
The Hurt sponsored run
Book and cake sale
Music Group mini concert
Quiz Night
Christmas Party Raffle
Cafe penny donations tin
We exceeded our target and raised over £8,000 for Disability Challengers - part of which went to running a series of Christmas parties for the kids.
We also raised money for a number of other charities, such as
MacMillan and the
Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice, and in April a small team took on the
Surrey 3 Peaks Walking Challenge, raising over £1,000 for Guildford YMCA.
A highlight of the year for SSTL staff has become
"Movember", with the guys here sporting an interesting range of facial hair during the month and this year raising £1,351 for this
men’s health charity.
We haven't yet decided on our chosen charity for 2013 - but hopefully we'll continue to have fun while donating to worthy causes.