Month: May 2018

A SURVIVAL challenge on one of Scotland’s most famous landmarks has helped to raise funds for an influential children’s charity.

Six brave teams of four from companies including Gilson Gray LLP, Accenture and Laing O’Rourke proved what they were made of by competing in an orienteering race and skill-testing challenges around Arthur’s Seat and Holyrood Park in Edinburgh.

With a number of outdoor challenges to complete, teams raced to the finish line and battled it out in the survival tasks, such as compass bearing, tent pitching, first aid, stove safety, and wildlife identification. They also had to prove their selfie-taking skills with five photo challenges as well as the classic survival tasks.

Each team committed to raise minimum of £500 in sponsorship for ECHC. Currently, the amount raised stands at £2,500 with further fundraising events planned to take place over the coming weeks.

Taking home the trophy at the end of the day in a landslide victory was the ‘Power Rangers’ from SP Energy Networks (below).

Tabby Blades, Assistant Corporate Fundraiser for ECHC, said: “We would like to thank everyone who took part for their phenomenal efforts in completing Survival on the Seat.

“The money raised through the sheer determination of the teams will all go towards the work of the charity, helping children and their families to have more positive hospital experiences.

“As the inaugural Survival on the Seat challenge, we couldn’t be more thrilled with how much of a success the day was and we hope to repeat this again next year with even more teams and challenges.

“Being the warmest day of the year, it was a fantastic atmosphere with everyone enjoying the sunshine in the park. We couldn’t have asked for a better day for it.”

As a brand new fundraising initiative, ECHC teamed up with Friends of the Award (FOTA), an organisation which works in partnership with local authorities and schemes across the Edinburgh area to deliver Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) and the Junior Award Scheme for Schools (JASS) achievement awards.

FOTA assisted by providing valuable expertise prior to the event and important resources such as tents and stoves to be used for challenges, as well as a number of volunteers to make the day run smoothly.

Neil Birch, Expedition Co-ordinator for FOTA said: “We were so pleased to support ECHC in the more practical elements of the first ever Survival on the Seat challenge.

“There was some uncertainty in the run up to the event about what the minimum weather conditions would have to be for the challenge to go ahead, but thankfully it was a great day for it.

“We’re looking forward to collaborating again next year to bring a bigger, better and more challenging Survival on the Seat with ECHC – but we’ll have to think of some new tasks to keep the teams on their toes.”

Tabby added: “We also must extend our thanks to the kind volunteers from FOTA – we simply couldn’t have delivered the event without their insight and assistance.

“The invaluable support from our fundraisers and partners helps us to transform the experience of children both in hospital and across community healthcare settings in Scotland, making sure they are a child first, and patient second.”