Ideal
Standard Raises Over £11,500 for Children in Need
To
show the company’s support for Children in Need, bathroom manufacturer
Ideal Standard used its baths for
something a little different and raised over £11,500.
In the past the company has raised money for Children in Need with the
very successful 'Potty Posers'. Passers-by donated money to sit and pull
the silliest face on a WC placed in shopping centres across the UK. Their
pictures were taken and the best pose won a brand new bathroom suite.
This year they have beaten that total by offering the staff at Ideal Standard
the chance to have a sneaky giggle at the Directors and Managers as they
submerged themselves in baths full to the brim with baked beans donated
by Heinz. The local rugby team, Hull FC, donated £200 to the cause
and a signed shirt from the team for staff to bid on. Additionally the
city's football team, Hull City, donated a signed shirt.
Paul Frankish, Ideal Standard's Category Leader for Furniture and Accessories
(pictured), was one of the volunteers who took a bean bath: ‘Our
previous Children in Need fundraiser, Potty Posers, raised over £2,000
and we are proud to have topped it this year with such an amazing total.
It was good fun and it all goes towards helping disadvantaged children
across the UK.’
For further information on Ideal Standard visit http://www.ideal-standard.co.uk
or call 01482 346461
Servis
Goes the Extra Mile for Meningitis UK
This
month saw twenty employees from Servis UK
don their walking boots to raise over £4000 for Meningitis UK. Servis
staff joined Meningitis UK founder Steve Dayman for ten miles of his 'Walk
4 Meningitis', for which Steve is walking from Land's End to John O'Groats.
Meningitis UK funds lifesaving research into finding a vaccine to eradicate
meningitis and septicaemia. Although there is a successful vaccine to
protect against Meningitis C, there is still no vaccine to protect against
several other deadly strains, including the most common - Meningitis B.
Meningitis can kill within four hours so spotting the symptoms straight
away can be lifesaving. To raise awareness of this and to generate funds
for essential vaccine development, Servis will be holding various fundraising
activities and promotions in order to raise £44,444 for Meningitis
UK, the sponsored walk being the first. Walking from Kidderminster to
Shrawley, Servis employees raised £4000 in sponsorship and a further
£1700 was collected in buckets during the walk.
Commercial director Charlie Jones, who also took part in the walk, comments;
‘This is an extremely worthwhile cause which we are delighted to
support. So many families have been affected by meningitis and unfortunately,
until a vaccine for Meningitis B is developed, many more will. The sponsored
walk was very successful and was actually good fun - ten miles was enough
though, Steve is a brave man!’
For further information regarding Servis tel: 0121 568 8333 or visit http://www.servisuk.co.uk
Pegler
Staff Are Winners in Windermere
Staff
from Doncaster based Pegler have won
the Grizedale Challenge. A team consisting of six people from Pegler was
put together to participate in the event held on 7th October in the Lake
District, with all money raised going to Age Concern.
The
challenge, organised by Pegler customer Plumbing Trade Supplies (PTS),
consisted of an 8 hour, non stop 3 stage endurance event. The multi-disciplined
challenge took place in and around the Grizedale Forest and Lake Windermere
in the Lake District National Park.
All teams were issued with an Ordnance Survey map and grid references
and were required to navigate to as many locations as possible to collect
electronic points for the team. Team Pegler came in first with 285 points,
just ahead of a team from PTS and Myson.
Pegler staff Chris Hird, Paul Reasbeck and Shammak Rataj completed 3 hours
mountain biking over rugged terrain, followed by a 2 1/2 hour trek over
hills and crags, followed by a further 2 1/2 hours canoeing against 20
other teams from PTS customers, suppliers and employees.
The Pegler team was able to raise over £2,200 for Age concern and
has been invited back to defend the title in March 2007 following its
win. Speaking on behalf of the Pegler team, Paul Reasbeck said, ‘We
have been in training for this event for some time and are delighted to
have finished in first place while raising money for Age Concern. It was
a fairly punishing course and a full day of events, but it was all in
a worthwhile cause. We do need to thank family; friends and colleagues
at Pegler for helping us raise so much money for Age Concern.’
Age Concern cares about all older people and believes that later life
should be fulfilling and enjoyable, but for too many older people this
is impossible.
Problems such as inadequate income and housing make the lives of older
people a misery. Age Concern's work ranges from providing vital local
services such as lunch clubs and drop in centres, to influencing public
opinion and government issues such as pensions on a national level.
Pegler Marketing Manager Phill Jackson said, ‘On behalf of all staff
at Pegler I would like to congratulate Shammak, Paul and Chris on their
achievement and raising so much money for such a worthwhile cause.’
Tel: 0870 1200 284
Web: http://www.pegler.co.uk
Caption: PTS Managing Director presenting Team Pegler with their Award.
Left to right: Paul Reasbeck, Chris Hird, Tony Hird, Steve Molson, Matt
Hird, Shammak Rataj and Age Concern Representative Paul McGoveney.
Bikes,
Boats and Boots - Bristan gets Physical in Aid of Age Concern
Saturday
October 7th saw a five-strong team from Bristan
thrust into the exciting multi-event challenge of biking, trekking and
canoeing in and around the rugged and beautiful Grizedale Forest and Lake
Windermere - all in aid of Age Concern.
Aptly titled The Tap Barons, the Bristan team consisted of Jeff Williams,
Simon Mepstead, Dean Stokes, Kevin Whitehead and Jeff's son Josh, who
were all sponsored by their Bristan colleagues to take part in the renowned
annual Grizedale Team Challenge. Despite only signing up for the event
two weeks prior to its advent, the guys did a tremendous job of competing
the challenge in just six hours and 52 minutes - way ahead of the expected
time of eight hours.
Above
Left, from left-to-right: Jeff Williams, Simon Mepsted, Dean Stokes, Josh
Williams, Kevin Whitehead
Above Right, from left-to-right: Dean Stokes, Jeff Williams, Kevin Whitehead,
Josh Williams
The
Grizedale Team Challenge is part of one of Bristan's largest customers,
PTS' (Plumbing Trade Supplies), two-year commitment to raising £150,000
for Age Concern. Bristan's Tap Barons hope to secure £2,200 in sponsorship
for the charity and is already well on its way to achieving that goal.
Anyone who would like to offer a donation can contact Gemma Powell on
the Bristan number below.
For more information/stockists call Bristan on 0870 4425555.
Web: http://www.bristan.com
Colin
and Justin help Inner City Kids
A
Gorenje fridge freezer, hailed as 'the most glamorous appliance in the
world', and decorated with Swarovski crystals was put under the hammer
for £10,000 by media style gurus Colin and Justin in a TV charity
auction in Glasgow recently.
The Slovenian manufacturer donated one of its exotic limited edition Eye-catcher
fridge freezers to raise money for a youth project on an underprivileged
Glasgow housing estate.
Studded with 7,000 Swarovski crystals, the donated Gorenje Eye-catcher
is one of only five that Gorenje has produced for charity auctions around
the world. A commercial version in black and silver was launched in May.
The appliance was the star lot at Glasgow's stylish arts centre, Oran
Mor, on Tuesday, September 12th, to be televised as Channel Five's Colin
and Justin on the Estate charity auction, later in the year.
The auction went off after a champagne reception almost as glittering
as the Gorenje Eye-catcher, with a cabaret headed by Atomic Kitten Liz
'Lil' McLarnon who performed her new solo single A Woman in Love and the
old Kittens' hit Whole Again.
The Gorenje fridge freezer finally went to an un-named telephone bidder
for a cool £10,000 making it, by far, the most expensive kitchen
appliance of its kind in the country.
Other lots at the auction include VIP invites to Universal Film Premieres,
Golf at Loch Lomond with training from international pro Stephen McAllister,
a beauty weekend, a days sailing on Simon le Bon's former yacht Drum,
a weekend in a remote Scottish hideaway with chauffeur-driven Rolls, a
Star Wars light sabre signed by Ewan McGregor, a studio recording package
and a day's training with the Royal Marines.
The auction raised a total of about £70,000 which will go towards
creating youth facilities on Arden, a 1950s ex-council estate which currently
has no community café or youth group and has seen youth crime,
vandalism, drug and alcohol abuse and general anti-social behaviour spiral
out of control.
TV
personalities, Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan, still live in their native
Glasgow and are fervent supporters of local community projects. They shot
to fame with the Million Pound Property Experiment on BBC2 and have since
presented a number of shows, written two books and run several charity
events.
At the end of the evening Colin and Justin were pleased with their total
of around £70,000.
‘It has been a terrific evening and we would like to thank everyone
who came along for helping make it a success,’ said Colin.
‘We would like to create the opportunity in this underprivileged
area of Arden so that kids can avoid trouble later, and we are really
grateful to Gorenje for this very generous donation,’ says Colin.
‘Many kids on the estate are literally entertaining themselves with
anti social behaviour, fuelling themselves on drugs and alcohol, mostly
out of boredom.’
Sasa
Kosec, Gorenje's UK Marketing Manager, says: ‘Working for a company
aiming to become the world's most innovative design-led appliances, I
have always enjoyed Colin and Justiin's programmes on interior design.
‘When we heard about the charity auction we were keen to get involved
and donating an Eyecatcher seemed the perfect solution. I really enjoyed
being in Glasgow on the day to see the auction for myself.
‘I am glad so much money was raised for such a good cause. The donation
is part of our strategy to support worthy causes and put something back
into the community.’
At a similar auction in Moscow in May, another Gorenje Eye-catcher attracted
fierce bidding and was finally knocked down for a cool $110,000 making
that the world's most expensive fridge freezer.
The funds raised at that auction were donated to the pan-Russian movement
called The Circle of the Sun, engaged in providing aid to homeless children.
The Gorenje Eye-catcher has enjoyed extensive national press coverage,
including a TV appearance with Paul O'Grady. It has even attracted a great
deal of attention here and abroad since going on display in Harrods earlier
this year.
Based on the limited edition Eye-catcher with 7,000 crystals, the Commercial
line in black with 3,500 crystals in two rows is available for consumers
who long for something special and prestigious, and especially for Swarovski
fans.
These appliances, which retail for £1,400, introduce a new elegance
to the white goods market and, along with the Gorenje Pininfarina range,
which was recently introduced to the UK market, represent Gorenje's most
prestigious collection.
Gorenje's visionary approach has engendered a unique philosophy of the
beauty of the home, where household appliances play a central role as
beautifully designed and unique elements in contemporarily homes.
The Gorenje fridge-freezers, decorated with high quality Swarovski, represent
a new generation of cooling appliances, featuring a myriad of advanced
functions.
The high-tech, 200 cm-high, user-friendly appliance is controlled by a
touch screen mounted at eye-level on the fridge door.
The touch control panel allows adjustment of the various settings of the
appliance, displays the temperatures and warns of any problems.
It is also the user interface for the built-in radio, recipe book and
voice memo recorder/player. Premium touch appliances are also environment-friendly
as they are classified as A+ energy rated.
About Swarovski crystals
Swarovski is an Austrian company established at the end of the 19th Century
by Daniel Swarovski. The company is renowned for its tradition and excellence
in manufacturing and supplying crystals and crystal-ware, especially for
the jewellery and fashion industry as well as decorative homeware. In
the fashion world, Swarovski crystals have recently been a hot and immensely
sought-after accessory and component of haute couture. The name Swarovski
can thus be found on many a fashion item or piece of jewellery created
by famous fashion designers - among those are Coco Chanel, Elsa Schiaparelli,
Dior, Dolce & Gabana, Valentino and Roberto Cavali.
From March 2006, a free five year parts and labour guarantee is now available
on Gorenje's fridge freezer, decorated with Swarovski crystals and built-in
appliances that are sold through its network of nearly 1,000 retailers
in the UK and Ireland. The guarantee covers all built-in ovens, hobs,
hoods, integrated cooling products and the company's range of stylish
freestanding retro fridges and two freestanding washing machines from
its laundry range.
For more information, call Gorenje on 0208 247 3980 or visit http://www.gorenje.co.uk
GE Appliances was recently given the opportunity to step back in time to the 1950s, after being contacted by a consumer who had discovered a 1950s retro GE fridge freezer in his late grandmother's home. Geoff Young contacted GE to try and find a new home for the 50 year old fridge freezer and offered GE an interesting insight into its history. Geoff Young explained, ‘It was my grandmother's pride and joy and unlike today it was a rare appliance to have in your home, it has stood the test of time and her investment of £200 was I think well spent!’
(Left
to right) Matt Jinks (Commercial Director), Geoff Young and Neil Jaques,
(Marketing Manager)
GE
Appliances says that it is one of the world's leading names in American
styled fridge freezers and this amazing find clearly demonstrates the
expertise and build quality that GE is renowned for. ‘Highly skilled
at manufacturing high quality refrigeration products across the world,
GE's knowledge and experience of this constantly expanding industry has
made the company an expert at consistently producing market-leading products.’
Neil Jaques, Marketing Manager comments ‘GE was delighted to be offered
the chance to showcase the 1950s fridge in our brand new HQ and trade
showroom in Milton Keynes. It is a talking point for all our visitors
and takes pride of place alongside our latest state of the art refrigeration
products. GE is also delighted to give Geoff for all his efforts, a donation
to his chosen charity - Guide Dogs For the Blind, a cheque for £200
was recently presented at GE's new Headquarters.’
Tel: 01908 366363
Web: http://www.lsy-appliances.co.uk
PWS
puts the Fun into Fundraising for Local Charities
The directors and staff at PWS Distributors in Newton Aycliffe have raised over £7,000 for North East charities. Over the year PWS has supported a number of most worthy causes, donating £1,465 each to St Teresa's Hospice, MacMillan Nurses, Great North Air Ambulance, Zoe's Place (babies' hospice) and Butterwick Children's Hospice.
PWS
personnel enjoying afternoon tea after being voted 'most creative fundraiser'
for St Teresa's hospice
The
fundraising activities culminated with the popular Tea at Three on 9th
June 2006 for St Teresa's Hospital in Darlington, which raised a further
£338. PWS employees pulled out all the stops, resulting in the most
delicious home-baked biscuits and cakes to tempt everyone to take part
in this fundraising feast. Staff were rewarded with a special afternoon
treat, after being named the most creative fundraiser's by St Teresa's.
Anne Rands, Claire Elkin, Gillian Tulip, Jill Shaw, Helen Gillender, and
Jane Hubery were chauffeur driven in a limousine to Blackwell Grange Hotel
in Darlington, where they enjoyed afternoon tea courtesy of Blackwell
Grange and limousine hire company, Quo Vadis.
Comments Ione Hannam, Personnel Manager at PWS, 'PWS has been fundraising
for St Teresa's Hospice for over 12 years and it is one of the company's
five adopted charities. We have chosen to support St Teresa's as everyone
is touched by cancer and can relate to someone who is suffering, be it
personally or through family or friends. All proceeds will now be used
to fund St Teresa's Hospice's palliative and respite care services, including
Hospice at Home, counselling and complementary therapies.'
RAK
Ceramics Sponsors Major Charity Cricket Match
RAK
Ceramics sponsored a major charity cricket match featuring
the famous Lashings World XI in aid of the Sussex Snowdrop Trust, which
supports care at home for children with life threatening and terminal
illnesses. The match was held at Midhurst Cricket Club's famous ground
at the Cowdray Ruins and raised an impressive £570 for the charity.
The Lashings team is a charity eleven incorporating numerous world-class
cricketers including legendary West Indies batsmen Richie Richardson and
Alvin Kallicharan, Wisden Cricketer of the Year 1996 Sri Lankan Aravinda
de Silva and England Women's team captain Clare Connor, who led her players
to an Ashes win in 2005.
RAK
Ceramics personnel joined Lashings XI captain Richie Richardson and Snowdrop
Trust representatives to celebrate the Lashings victory and hand over
the charity cheque.
Lashings
won the toss and elected to bat, scoring an impressive 275 for 5 wickets
from 35 overs, powered by a Richie Richardson century (125) and Aravinda
da Silva half century (54). Midhurst's reply was 167 for 9 with a useful
38 for Steve May and 30 for Tim Dixon - to add to his excellent bowling
figures of 3 wickets for 31 from the first innings.
‘We were delighted to sponsor this excellent cricket match in aid
of such a worthwhile cause,’ said RAK Ceramics Managing Director
Rob Jull. ‘The Sussex Snowdrop Trust provides care at home for seriously
ill children, offering practical support and advice to parents who desperately
need it.
‘The Trust is Midhurst Cricket Club's chosen charity in their bicentenary
year and we are very happy to have been able to lend our support to this
tremendous event.’
Forty customers and associates of RAK Ceramics attended the event, including
Elysian Homes Procurement Director Peter Ide. ‘This was a fantastic
event, everyone had a great day and it was all in aid of a most worthwhile
cause,’ said Peter.
Tel: 01730 815 507
Web: http://www.rakceramics.co.uk
Crabtree
Kitchens Raises £530 for Local Children's Hospice
Crabtree Kitchens
recently organised a cookery demo and wine tasting raising nearly £530
for The Shooting Star Children's Hospice of Hampton. This event was held
at Crabtree's award Winning Barnes showroom on 21st June - where renowned
Twickenham owner/chef, Bruce Duckett of Brula Restaurant, Twickenham and
his head chef, Jamie, demonstrated the best in classic French cooking
at a lunchtime event, which attracted nearly 30 guests.
Also on offer for the guests throughout the afternoon was a selection of delicious wines courtesy of Alastair Llewellyn-Smith of Thurman Hunt wine importers, who also gave an amusing and informative talk on the wine.
Contact:
Alex Crabtree
Tel: 020 8392 6955
Email: alex@crabtreekitchens.co.uk