Tag: charity fundraising

Inaugural Survival Challenge raises over £2,500 for Children’s Charity

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.”

“You’re only as old as you feel”: Phil to tackle 2500 mile trek

A daring Edinburgh resident is set to undertake a gruelling trek from Hook of Holland to Istanbul covering more than 2,500 miles in order to raise money to support children and young people in hospital. Phil Crane, who embarks on the arduous expedition on his 69th birthday, is planning to walk through EIGHT countries in just seven months and follow in the footsteps of famous author Sir Patrick Leigh Fermor. Continue reading “You’re only as old as you feel”: Phil to tackle 2500 mile trek

Take the plunge and help local animals!

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The Scottish SPCA is calling on daredevils to abseil down The Falkirk Wheel to raise vital funds.

Scotland’s animal welfare charity has spaces left for the exciting challenge which takes place on Saturday 22 April 2017.

Balerno centre manager, Diane Aitchison said, “This is the first time we have organised an abseil at The Falkirk Wheel and spaces are going fast.

“It’s a fantastic challenge for anyone who wants to do something fun and memorable to help animals in the local area.

“Those who have completed abseils for the charity in previous years have said that it’s an amazing experience and one they’ll never forget.

“There will be a team of highly skilled instructors to ensure participants are equipped with everything they need to make the abseil as safe and enjoyable as possible.

“We rely on public support to continue our work rescuing abused, abandoned and injured animals so every penny and pound raised in sponsorship really does count.”

Cheryl McLoughlan from Hamilton who previously took part in the Titan Crane abseil said, “I was terrified on the day but excited too. I had never taken part in anything like it before.

“That moment I had to climb over the side of the crane to my descent was pretty scary, but as soon as I got going I was loving it!

Anyone interested in taking part in the abseil can call the Scottish SPCA fundraising team on 03000 999 999 (option 4) or email fundraising@scottishspca.org for further information.

Picture: Peter Sandground

MHA team goes the extra mile to support cancer charity

A staff team from Muirhouse Housing Association is stepping out on an intrepid journey to raise funds to tackle cancer this month. The team is taking part in Cancer Research UK’s Walk All Over Cancer campaign – MHA’s Hannah Robertson explains more:

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The team at MHA have been working hard to take steps to make Muirhouse Miles Better!

We have decided to get on our feet and raise money for charity! Five of us will be walking 10,000 steps every day of the month of September – that’s five meals EACH every day!

We will be raising money for Cancer Research, and as we do this we will be completing a virtual tour of as many Housing Associations as we can while clocking up the miles every day for a month.

Paula Mcvay, Stevie McAvoy, Susanne Connell, Grit Neilson and Barry Allan are the staff who are taking up the challenge. Luckily Muirhouse is situated very close to the beach and some lunch-time walks will help to increase our step count!

We also have an in house support team to help keep track of the miles and housing associations that we will pass on our journey.

We will walk 500 miles and we will walk 500 more …!

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Paula-Hulbert-Mcvay?utm_medium=email&utm_source=ExactTarget&utm_campaign=20160908_88261

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/B-Allan2016?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=fundraisingpage&utm_content=B-Allan2016&utm_campaign=pfp-share

You can support the team by sponsoring a team member (above), and you can follow us on our journey by visiting our Facebook page and our website at www.muirhouseha.org.uk

 

Walkathon support hotting up!

Support is hotting up – just like the weather!

North Edinburgh’s art, community and health centres are preparing to welcome walkers with open doors – despite the NEN Walkathon taking place on a Saturday there is a healthy interest in being part of this community event (writes Ann Confrey).
In addition to Edinburgh College Granton Campus who are kindly welcoming walkers and allowing The Hub to be used for the START and FINISH of the Walkathon on Saturday 20th July, we have confirmation that:
North Edinburgh Arts Centre
Muirhouse Library
Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre
and Pilton Community Health Project 
will also be OPEN and that management, staff and volunteers look forward to welcoming walkers with refreshments and information on the facilities, support and activities they offer.
Do your bit and join us – ask family, friends and neighbours to sponsor you to take part in the Walkathon. Download your sponsor form or collect one from Reception at Granton Campus.
Don’t want to ask for sponsors? That’s OK, simply turn up and join in – have fun and discover what’s on your doorstep and if you decide to donate a pound or two to your community newspaper there will be a collection box at the registration desk!
We look forward to seeing you at
10.00am on Saturday 20th July!
Ann Confrey
NEN Board
statueWalk

Local families step out in Race for Life

A group of staff and families from Stepping Stones took part in the ‘Race for Life’ at Holyrood Park on  Sunday 16 June.

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Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life is a series of 5k or 10k women-only fundraising events, which are raising money for research to help beat all 200 types of cancer sooner.

If you missed the June event, don’t worry – there’s another one coming up on Saturday 26  October in Holyrood Park. The twilight Race for Life starts at 7pm.

For further information or to register go to http://raceforlife.cancerresearchuk.org

Maggie’s and Scotmid celebrate successful partnership

Scotmid set a target of raising £150,000 in a year for their chosen charity partner Maggies’s – but the fundraising efforts of big-hearted Scotmid staff has ensured that they are already within sight of their total – in less than half that time! 

When Maggie’s Chief Executive Laura Lee heard how charity partner Scotmid have raised an incredible £144,000 in just five months for Maggie’s, she knew she wanted to celebrate the fantastic news at the first ever Maggie’s Centre – at the Western General Hospital here in Edinburgh.

After all, it was at the Western that Laura first met Maggie’s founder Maggie Keswick Jencks. Laura worked at the hospital as a clinical nurse specialist when Maggie was re-diagnosed with breast cancer. Over time Laura, originally from Peterhead, and Maggie became very close and while the idea for a different type of cancer care was Maggie’s, it was Laura who turned that dream into a reality. It seemed fitting, then, for   Laura to celebrate Edinburgh-based Scotmid’s incredible fundraising efforts where the Maggie’s story all began.

Laura said: “Since we first opened the doors of Maggie’s Edinburgh, 17 years ago this November, Maggie’s has grown in ways we could never have imagined. We now have 14 Centres across the UK where we offer our unique programme of support to people with cancer, their friends and families.

“We have many more Centres in various stages of planning as well and by the end of 2014 we hope to have full coverage across Scotland. This is something we are incredibly proud of especially considering we rely solely on donations for our funding, which is why the kind of support we receive from companies such as Scotmid is absolutely vital.

“To have raised £144,000 in just five months is quite extraordinary and I applaud the efforts of everyone involved. Scotmid staff have obviously invested a great deal of hard work and creative energy into their fundraising and I would like them to extend a huge thank you to them all.”

Maggie’s and Scotmid launched their partnership on 1 September last year and fundraising to date has included a Ride Across Britain, a dinner dance in Edinburgh, bungee jump, parachute jump, race nights and Christmas raffles in store – so in just five months they have almost reached their target for the year of £150,000!

Staff do not intend to slow down their efforts with more fundraising events planned for the coming six months, however – they even have a team taking part in this year’s Maggie’s Monster Bike & Hike in May.

Malcolm Brown, Head of Corporate Communications for Scotmid Co-operative said: “The innovation and commitment that our teams have shown to raising funds for Maggie’s is truly remarkable and very commendable. We’ve had all sorts of fundraising activities, from an abseil down the Dundee University tower to staff coming to work in their pyjamas to raise money. This amazing half-way result is testament to the wonderful support that Maggie’s provides to people with cancer. We are delighted to have raised this much and we’re looking forward to raising even more in the next six months for this very worthwhile cause.”

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