Dawn of a new campaign

The new 18 month Charity Challenge campaign kicked-off at the beginning of May and employees across the world have sprung into action to launch and promote the new campaign.  Already, our partner charities, America Supports You in the US, The Leukaemia Foundation in Australia and Sue Ryder Care in the UK, have been spending time getting to know how the business works, what our sites do and how our team of volunteers like to work and how the charities can help support and encourage them.

It has been a very busy time closing one campaign and launching another but everyone has worked so hard to make sure that everything is ready to help make sure the next partnership lives up to its potential. This campaign is especially significant because in 2009 Charity Challenge will be celebrating its 20^th birthday and we want to do it in style so keep your eyes peeled to find out what everyone is up to.

To help launch the partnerships employees have been busy organising a variety of activities to help raise money and awareness of Charity Challenge and its partner charities.

In Australia our sites organised a range of activities with The Leukaemia Foundation, including a “Lose your loose change” day. Out site at Williamtown ran a “Bald for bucks” event and Tamworth are holding a winter warmer event every Wednesday selling home made pumpkin soup and sausage rolls.

In the UK, Sue Ryder Care, which helps those suffering with conditions such as stroke, Multiple Sclerosis, dementia and cancer, visited all our sites and sold biodegradable helium balloons to employees.  The balloons were then launched and a prize of a hot air balloon ride for two was given to the balloon that went the furthest. Some balloons travelled as far as Ireland and Holland.

Meanwhile, in the US we launched our new campaign with America Supports You, (an umbrella organisation supporting members of the armed forces) on 4^th July by holding events with a patriotic theme. For example some sites held an Independence Day Cook Out.

Charity Challenge Award Ceremony - Jersey

Friday 9^th May saw around 250 Charity Challenge from across the world descend upon the beautiful island of Jersey off the coast of the UK to celebrate the end of one campaign and the start of the next. The event was a huge success and was bathed in the kind of sunshine that befitted such a tremendous event. From the pre-dinner cocktails and pink Champaign on the terrace at the start of the night to the mad stampede for the dance floor it was obvious this will be one night that will stick in many people's memories for a while.

The award ceremony marked the start of the next campaign and the end of the campaign with Macmillan Cancer Support in the UK, The Alzheimer’s Association in North America and The Australian Cancer Council in Australia. The new partner charities were announced by the new Campaign Leader Kim Phipps as: US - America Supports You, UK - Sue Ryder Care and Australia The Leukaemia Foundation. For more information on these new charities please click here to visit the partner charities page.

The totals for the campaign were also announced on the evening with Charity Challenge raising an awesome GBP£6 million (USD$11.7 million or AUD$12.4 million) with employees volunteering a further 8,700 days to help good causes! These figures also include the £1 million matched funding budget given to Charity Challenge by the company, which when broken down means that for every dollar or pound raised for the partner charity the company matched it with 93 pence or cents of company money. Please note we are no longer able to matched fund any involvement hours for the partner charity due to the amount of money raised.

Here are the break down of the figures:

There were also twelve awards that were handed out on the night to recognise some of the fantastic work that Charity Challengers have done across the globe, here are the categories and the winners - for more information keep an eye out for the next issue of the newsletter as we'll have a full run down on all the nominations and the winners:

Apprentice Innovation Challenge: Brough, UK, Military Air Solutions
Best New Comer: Minneapolis, US, Land and Armaments
Most Improved Site: Chadderton, UK, Military Air Solutions
Partnership Award: Radway Green, UK, Land Systems
Innovation Award: Weymouth, UK Submarine Solutions
Development Award: Filton, UK, Airbus
Community Award: Fort Wayne, US, E&IS
Involvement Award: Rochester, UK, E&IS
Fundraising Per Capita: Westcott, UK, Property and Environmental Services
Overall Rest of the World: Nowra, BAE Systems Australia
Overall US: Minneapolis, Land and Armaments
Overall UK: Glasgow, Surface Fleet Solutions

It really was a great night and we would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has been involved in Charity Challenge these last 18 months and we look forward to working with you all over the next 18 months and beyond. Thank you everyone!