Tag Archives: Fundraising

Charity, Charity Events, Insurance, News, Swansea

Howden’s south Wales offices compete in fundraising event

Howden’s Cardiff and Swansea teams went head-to-head as colleagues from the global insurance group and Principal Partner of the British & Irish Lions competed to raise as much as possible for local charities. Each office hosted its own Lions-themed event, complete with a match watch party, as part of the company’s wider efforts to support good causes through sport and community engagement.

 

The events on July 2, held at Elevens in Cardiff and the Swansea.com Stadium in Swansea, welcomed over 200 guests in total to watch the British & Irish Lions take on the Queensland Reds in a victory made all the sweeter for the Swansea office by Ospreys star Jac Morgan taking centre stage and being named Man of the Match in Australia.

 

Guests at the event were joined by multiple Wales and Lions rugby heroes including Shane Williams, Glenn Webb, Craig Quinell, Rhodri Jones, Iestyn Hopkins and Dafydd James in Swansea, and Martyn Madden, Andrew Coombs, Steve Moore and Andy Powell in Cardiff.

 

With both offices fundraising for their nominated charities, the Cardiff event raised over £1,300 for Maggie’s Cancer Charity, and Swansea over £2,500 for local charity Joseph’s Smile.

 

Both teams held exclusive raffles, with multiple items signed by notable sporting legends including British & Irish Lions jerseys and rugby balls, and boxing gloves, kindly donated by Wales’ first women’s world boxing champion Lauren Price. Swansea’s event also held a hotly contested auction for a British & Irish Lions shirt signed by Gareth Edwards, which one generous bidder took home for £400.

 

Swansea’s charity of choice, Joseph’s Smile, provides grants to ill children to enable them to access lifesaving or life-changing medical treatment or equipment that’s currently not available to them on the NHS, as well as raising awareness, support and research for childhood cancer.

 

Cardiff’s charity Maggie’s is a national charity, with centres across the UK offering support and care for those with cancer and their loved ones. Their Cardiff and Swansea centres host a range of services including support groups and stress management workshops, fostering a safe space for those affected by cancer.

 

Gary Stevens, Regional Managing Director at Howden, said: “It was wonderful to see both our south Wales offices go above and beyond in our fundraising challenge. Maggie’s and Joseph’s Smile charities are close to the hearts of us all at Howden Wales. Their work is truly life changing so we jumped at the chance to raise as much money as possible through our raffles and auctions, and we are incredible grateful for the generosity of all those who attended.

 

“Not only were we able to raise such fantastic amounts for both charities, but it was a wonderful opportunity to bring our local communities together and enjoy the Lions’ victory against the Reds. It was an additional honour for us to be able to present Ospreys’ CEO Lance Bradley with their Lions Origin plaque, and especially to see the Ospreys’ own Jac Morgan doing such a fantastic job representing Wales out in Australia.”

Charity Events, Charity News, Swansea, Wales

Howden aims high in charity challenge

Howden, the global insurance group, is raising vital funds and awareness for Maggie’s Cancer Care charity in a skyrocketing challenge.

 

30 members of staff from Howden’s Corporate & Commercial offices across the UK have committed to embark on Maggie’s Wing Walk, a challenge that will see them strapped to the top wing of a vintage biplane, soaring through the sky at 150 mph above a historic WW1 airfield.

 

Deborah Barber is representing Howden’s south Wales offices with her participation in the challenge.

 

Howden has extended its fundraising goal to a collective target of £40,000, with some members like Deborah setting their own personal goals to exceed expectations for the charity.

 

Maggie’s is a national charity, with centres across the UK offering support and care for those with cancer and their loved ones. Their Cardiff and Swansea centres host a range of services including support groups and stress management workshops, fostering a safe space for those affected by cancer.

 

The team can be supported by donating to Deborah’s personal fundraising page or Howden’s central Wingwalking fundraising page.

 

Deborah Barber, Development Executive at Howden, said: “I am incredibly excited and nervous to be taking part in this challenge. Not only will we be flying high in the sky, but we’ll also be performing high-energy manoeuvres such as high-speed dips, dives, steep climbs, and 90-degree banked turns. But it’s all worth it to raise funds for Maggie’s.

 

“The work and care that Maggie’s provides to people across the UK is truly inspirational and that’s why I have chosen to set my own personal fundraising goal of £1,000 to maximise the amount of support we can give them. I look forward to taking on this challenge and to collaborate with our UK offices, and hope to inspire others to give what they can to this incredible cause.”

 

Gary Stevens, Regional Managing Director at Howden, said: “I’m extremely proud of Deborah for representing our south Wales team and taking on such a challenge for Maggie’s. The charity holds a special place in our hearts for a lot of us at our south Wales offices, and the work they do across Cardiff and Swansea especially is life-changing, so I’m delighted that we’re able to give back and amplify such an important cause.

 

“Good luck to all those who will be taking part in the challenge, and please give what you can to support Maggie’s work.”

 

For more information on Maggie’s, visit: https://www.maggies.org/our-centres/maggies-cardiff/

Care, Charity Events, Health, Healthcare

Hospice charity launches urgent appeal

City Hospice, Cardiff’s local hospice, has launched an appeal to urgently raise £100,000 by the end of March to help the charity meet increased demand.

City Hospice is the only provider of home-based specialist palliative care in the capital. The charity, based in Whitchurch, provides care and a wide range of services including welfare advice and complementary therapies to patients with terminal or life limiting illnesses, as well as bereavement support and counselling for the families of its patients.

Since the charity’s inception in 1984, City Hospice has seen demand for its services grow at an exponential rate. By 1997, 100 patients were referred to City Hospice per year. Now, more than 100 patients are referred to the charity’s care every month and the clinical team helps over 1,800 patients every year to live their final days with dignity.

To meet the ever-increasing demand at a time when its costs are increasing, City Hospice has launched the ‘Donate today to help us be there tomorrow’ appeal to raise an additional £100,000 by the end of March to ensure they can continue to deliver quality care for patients and their loved ones.

Dr Liz Booyse, Chief Executive of City Hospice, said: “When faced with the unimaginable – a terminal illness – families in Cardiff turn to City Hospice for care, comfort and hope.

“We have been caring for Cardiff for 40 years, ensuring that no one in our community faces a terminal illness alone. From pain management to emotional support, our incredible team provides care and compassion every day, helping patients and their families navigate life limiting illnesses. Our work goes beyond medical care; it’s about creating moments of connection, dignity and comfort.

“However, demand for our services is growing rapidly, and more families than ever need our care. Unfortunately, this is at a time when our costs are rising and, with government funding covering just 40% of our costs, we are launching this appeal to help us raise these vital funds so we can continue giving patients and their families the care they deserve.”

 

For further information about the appeal and to donate, visit https://www.cityhospice.org.uk/get-involved/urgentappeal

Business, Charity Events

The Lord’s Taverners Wales celebrates £110,000 fundraising total for 2024

The Lord’s Taverners Wales has raised over £110,000 through a series of fundraising initiatives and events in 2024.

The amount was announced at their annual Christmas Lunches, celebrating their 40th year, which were held at Cardiff’s Marriott Hotel. The lunches took place on December 6 and 13, welcoming 536 guests over the two days for afternoons of festivities with performances from Mark Simmons, Micky P Kerr and Clinton Baptiste on December 6, and Ignacio Lopez, Laura London and Scott Bennett on December 13.

Guests were greeted by chairman Andrew Gibson, then guided through the event by popular returning compère Rod Woodward. The raffle and auctions, offering prestigious prizes, contributed significantly to the total money raised, all of which will go towards the charity’s programmes that support disadvantaged and disabled young people through the power of sport.

The Christmas Lunches followed a host of fundraising activity from the Lord’s Taverners Wales in 2024, including a spring lunch, summer fashion show and cookery luncheon raising over £9,300. The annual Ian Spratling Memorial Golf Day at Royal Porthcawl Golf Club raised over £4,000 and a sold out Carols at The County Club event raised a further £4,500 for the charity.

Andrew Gibson, chairman of Lord’s Taverners Wales, said: “I am incredibly proud and delighted to share our fundraising total to close out what has been a fantastic year for the Lord’s Taverners Wales. These funds will go towards running our programmes to help as many young people as possible fulfil their potential and build life skills.

“Our Christmas lunches were once again a huge success, and a lovely way to round off the year by bringing new and old faces together to get in the festive spirit. I want to extend a thank you to everyone who attended, donated or has supported us at any of our events throughout the year; we could not run our life-changing programmes without this generosity.”

Founded in 1950, Lord’s Taverners aims to empower and positively impact the lives of young people facing the challenges of inequality. This includes hosting their community cricket programmes Wicketz, Super 1s and SEND schools initiative whilst continuing to run Table Cricket competitions in local schools and regularly donating specially adapted minibuses, sports wheelchairs, sensory and play equipment facilities to the community and recycling sports kits across the globe.

To find out more about the Lord’s Taverners please visit www.lordstaverners.org/members/wales

Business, Business News, Hospice News

Quantum Advisory scores big for Tŷ Hafan in football fundraising tournament

ONE of the UK’s leading actuarial and pension consulting firms, Quantum Advisory, took part in Tŷ Hafan’s Football Fives tournament and raised £3000 for the children’s hospice charity.

The firm rallied together to enter two teams into the round robin league which featured Champions League, Europa League and ECL stages, including knock-out phases, semi-finals and the final.

After standout performances amid tough competition, Quantum Advisory’s teams celebrated success in the top event: the Champions League. One of the firm’s teams won the league, while the other reached the quarter finals of the same competition.

The Football Fives tournament is held annually by Tŷ Hafan at Gôl Centres in Cardiff and was this year sponsored by V12 Retail Finance.

Tŷ Hafan, one of the UK’s leading paediatric palliative care charities, provides comfort and care to children and young people with life shortening conditions throughout Wales. The charity also provide support to parents and siblings, helping to create special memories and offering respite not only at the hospice but in the homes of the families or in hospital, completely free of charge.

Joining the fundraisers at the tournament was former Wales and Cardiff City player Danny Gabbidon who held a live Q&A session and presented a series of awards. Quantum received the top fundraisers award for a second year running, sharing the award this time with V12 Retail Finance. John Plenderleith, an Investment Consultant at Quantum Advisory, was also named ‘player of the match’ for his performance in the final.

Quantum Advisory is a longstanding supporter of Tŷ Hafan, with one of its first projects in 2016 winning them an engraved bronze apple to place on the hospice’s Gift Tree in recognition of reaching their ‘pay for a day goal’ of £11,000.

Since 2016, they have raised over £31,000 for the charity. Past events have included the Race to the Stones challenge, a fundraising ball and participation in Tŷ Hafan’s Christmas pantomime. In 2023, Team Quantum took part in Tŷ Hafan’s Football Fives tournament and received the ‘Best Tŷ Hafan Fundraisers’ trophy by former Cardiff City, Celtic, Crystal Palace and Welsh International midfielder, Joe Ledley, in recognition of their continued support.

Stuart Price, Actuary and Partner at Quantum Advisory, said: “We had a fantastic time at Tŷ Hafan’s Football Fives tournament this year. It was wonderful to see so many businesses coming together to raise funds for this incredible cause and thank you very much to those individuals that sponsored us, all the support is warmly received.

“Tŷ Hafan’s work is life changing and we are proud to have been supporting them for almost a decade. I would encourage anyone to find out more about Tŷ Hafan if you have not already and get involved with their next fundraising event.”

Sorrel Mayo, Corporate Senior Fundraiser at Tŷ Hafan, said: “When a child’s life will be short, Tŷ Hafan will walk alongside their family every step of the way – through life, death and beyond. We were delighted to see so many teams at our Football Fives fundraising tournament to help us to be able to do this.

“Quantum Advisory’s fantastic fundraising has contributed to this year’s event raising almost £15,000 which is truly incredible, and we are also extremely grateful to them for their ongoing support and enthusiasm.

“No parent ever imagines that their child’s life will be short. Sadly, this is the reality facing thousands of families in Wales. We can’t stop this happening, but together we can make sure that no one in Wales lives their child’s short life alone.”

For further information on Tŷ Hafan, visit www.tyhafan.org/. Donations can also be made at https://www.justgiving.com/page/tyhafanfiveaside.

Quantum Advisory provides pension and employee benefits services to employers, scheme trustees and members, and has offices in Cardiff, Amersham, Birmingham and London. For more information, visit www.quantumadvisory.co.uk.

Business, Charity Events

Charity Cath raises thousands for cancer

Swansea’s Catherine Robinson, account executive at Howden’s south Wales office, has raised £4,833 for multiple cancer care charities since April 2023.

Starting with the London Marathon in 2023, Catherine raised £3,453 for Young Lives vs Cancer. The following year, she ran the 2024 Edinburgh Marathon for the same charity, raising £1,130 and additionally raised £250 for Macmillan Cancer Support through taking part in its Marathon Hike in July of this year.

Catherine will be running the London Marathon once again to raise funds for Young Lives vs Cancer in April 2025.

On why fundraising for these charities is so important to her, Catherine said: “I am in true amazement of Young Lives vs Cancer and their work. When completing the London Marathon in 2023, I was greeted by an inspiring young volunteer who had a terminal brain tumour, and this was the moment I knew I had to help the charity as much as I could. The charity has given me so much support both in mindset of running 26.2 miles and raising the funds.

“My fundraising for Macmillan was more of a personal story. My mam beat cancer in 2021 under the support of Macmillan, but we sadly then lost my stepdad suddenly to cancer in June 2023. So, when my friend asked me to do the marathon hike this year which fell on my stepdad’s birthday, I knew I couldn’t say no. While this was emotional to complete on such an important date, it was an honour to give something back to the charity and play a part in helping those who need it in the future.

Catherine’s boss Gary Stevens, Regional Managing Director at Howden Wales, said: “We are incredibly proud and in awe of Catherine and everything she has managed to do for these charities. We support her every step of the way and strongly encourage anyone who can to donate via her Enthuse page. We wish her all the best with London 2025.”

You can support Catherine’s fundraising for Young Lives vs Cancer here.

News

Sparkle Walk returns to north Cardiff this autumn

A charity walk will allow memories of loved ones to sparkle and shine as it returns to north Cardiff for a fifth year this September.

City Hospice’s Sparkle Walk, a night-time 10km walk, will see supporters stroll from Insole Court, Llandaff to City Hospice, Whitchurch and back. At the 5km mark, participants will have the chance to leave a heartfelt message for a loved one in the hospice’s memory garden.

Walkers will also be able to highlight their loved ones throughout the route by personalising their specially produced Sparkle Walk t-shirts. The walk is suitable for families, friends, colleagues and children over the age of eight, though anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a registered adult.

The funds raised by the Sparkle Walk will support the work of City Hospice, the only provider of home-based specialist palliative care in the capital. In addition to providing care and services including welfare advice and complementary therapies to patients with terminal or life limiting illnesses, the charity offers counselling and support services for their patients’ families.

This year’s Sparkle Walk is being sponsored by NFU Mutual Newport, an organisation that has been supporting people, families and businesses for over 110 years with services such as financial planning, insurance and risk management.

Gareth Griffiths, Partner at NFU Mutual Newport, said: “A few years ago, I saw first-hand just how amazing hospice care can be; not just for your loved one but for yourself too. The care and support they provide to both the patient and family makes the most unbearable time in your life just that little bit easier.

“I am proud, along with my colleagues at NFU Mutual Newport, to support City Hospice and the Sparkle Walk this year. It is an amazing event, bringing people together from all over the city. The most helpful thing I did to get through the loss of my mum was to share her story and listen to others who have been through the same. I’m looking forward to hearing people share their stories and support each other through conversation on a beautiful walk in Cardiff.”

Mac Smith, Fundraising and Events Manager at City Hospice, said: “We can’t wait to sparkle through the streets of north Cardiff again this September. It’s a joyous way to remember loved ones and allow our memories of them to shine in the community.

“We are thrilled to have NFU Mutual Newport on board this year and thank them for their generous support of the Sparkle Walk which is now in its fifth year.”

For further information, visit https://www.cityhospice.org.uk/get-involved/upcoming-events/sparkle-walk-2024/

Charity & CSR, News, Recruitment News, South East

Holt Recruitment Conquer ZigZag to Everest Challenge and Raise over £7,000 for Home-Start Wessex

Holt Recruitment, based in Bournemouth, took on an epic fundraising challenge this May. Using Bournemouth zigzags, they decided to scale Mouth Everest in a day, walking 8,849 metres to the ‘summit’, in aid of Home-Start Wessex, a charity that does incredible work to support local families in need.

Every year, the team at Holt Recruitment pushes their limits for a great cause. They have completed a 24-hour marathon, rowed around Britain and cycled the Tour de France. This year, they went bigger than ever before. The team embarked on their ascent to the summit of Everest at 8 a.m., and by 2 p.m., every team member had conquered yet another monumental Holt Challenge. Even Harry Redknapp sent a message of support, wishing the team the very best for their charity walk.

Owner Stuart Holt said, “We Did It! We’re thrilled to announce that we’ve completed our yearly charity challenge and raised a total of £7,230 for the incredible charity Home-Start Wessex.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who supported us along the way, from generous donations to those who joined us on the day to cheer us on. For some of the team, it was the hardest thing they have ever done, going up and down the zigzags over fifty times. It was difficult, but I am incredibly proud of the team for persevering. The support we received made all the difference.

Together, we’ve made a real impact in supporting families and children in need through Home-Start Wessex. Everyone’s contributions will go a long way in making a positive difference in our community. Despite some very sore legs and tired bodies, we’re overjoyed with our achievement and deeply honoured to have rallied support for this remarkable charity.”

Community News, Driving, Transport

Britannia Taxis supports disadvantaged youth with latest community donations

BRITANNIA Taxis, Liverpool’s leading private hire operator, is stepping up to support disadvantaged youth in the local community through the Funded by Veezu programme.

Britannia is a regional hub of the UK’s fastest growing private hire technology platform, Veezu, and is supporting Tribe Dance School and Brins Gym to empower disadvantaged youth.

Tribe Dance School, founded in September 2023 by Becky Middleton, hosts acro, ballet, tap and commercial dance classes for children aged 2-11 alongside an adult’s dance class in Roby Community Centre, a Big Help building.

Britannia Taxis has donated £800 to fund dance classes for children from low-income households who otherwise cannot afford to attend, and sponsors one young dancer in particular to progress and attend free classes.

Becky said: “We’re so grateful to Britannia for their support, allowing children from all backgrounds to be able to participate in dance.

“I set up this school after running another class with a friend for over 10 years, before her passing last year. Lots of people reached out with fond memories and great experiences of the class, so I set up Tribe in honour of her and with the hope to help more children grow and develop. Britannia’s kind donation will ensure that nobody is left out.”

Britannia Taxis has also donated £1000 to Brins Gym, a local boxing club that works with young people at risk of antisocial behaviour. The donation will go towards the purchase of a new kit for the gym’s 50th anniversary.

In addition to its donation, Britannia sponsored the Gym’s anniversary boxing show at Rainhill Ex-Services Club which took place on April 19 and welcomed young people from across the Northwest to box against each other.

Andrew Robinson, Coach at Brins Gym and Veezu driver-partner, said: “We are incredibly grateful to Veezu for its ongoing support at such an exciting time for us. Our gym is an important place for so many people as our number one priority is to empower disadvantaged children and keep them on track.

“The best part of running the gym is witnessing how many people we have been able to welcome over the last 50 years, and the difference it has made in the community. With Veezu’s support, our event was a huge success, and the future for Brins Gym looks very bright.”

Rosanna Hynes, Hyperlocal Marketing Manager for Britannia Taxis, said: “Being a local provider, supporting our local community is at the heart of what we do. Both groups do life-changing work in supporting disadvantaged young people and have incredible stories to tell; it’s a privilege to lend our support wherever we can. We are very much looking forward to what the future holds for both these organisations.”

Driving, Transport

Aqua Cars helps combat holiday hunger with charity donation

 Aqua Cars, Portsmouth’s leading private hire operator, has donated £500 to the local arm of Cash for Kids for its Cash for Kids Day on 2 May.

Acquired by Veezu earlier this year, Aqua Cars stepped in to donated through the Funded by Veezu initiative, where local residents, charities and sports teams can apply for funding and grants, set up to improve the communities in which Veezu operates.

Cash for Kids supports children and young people affected by poverty, abuse, neglect, life-limiting illness and those with additional needs. Based across 22 areas in the UK, Cash for Kids is a grant giving charity that helps community groups, charitable organisations, schools and individual cases. The latest figures from the End Child Poverty Coalition show that 1 in 3 local children are living in poverty and, in some areas, it is as high as 36%.

2 May marked Cash for Kids Day, where organisations came together to raise as much as possible for the cause, with a particular focus on combating holiday hunger to make sure all children have access to a hot meal during the holidays.

Veezu has donated £500 from its regional areas of Birmingham, Cardiff, Leeds, Liverpool, Sheffield and Portsmouth, bringing the total donation to £3000. According to statistics given by Cash for Kids, it’s predicted that £3000 will help 60 children in need.

Sally Aitchison MBE, Managing Director at Cash for Kids, said: “We are so grateful to Veezu for supporting us across the UK in six regions for Cash for Kids Day. For the passengers of Veezu, they can feel confident in their choice, as they will be helping disadvantaged children access activities and food during the school holidays. For many children it will be their only daily meal. The generosity of companies like Veezu, as well as donations from the general public, help us help children that need it the most.”

Bruce Hall at Veezu, said: “We are delighted to be giving back and supporting our local community with our first donation through the Funded by Veezu scheme. The work that Cash for Kids do makes an incredible difference to children across the UK, and it’s a joy to know that our donation will go toward providing a hot meal for those who need it the most.”

For more information on Cash for Kids Day, and how you can get involved, visit: https://cashforkids.org.uk/cfkday