C&W Ball raises £70,000 for children’s charity

AN impressive £70,000 has been raised in celebration of the tenth anniversary of the NSPCC Ball in Coventry.

Around 650 people attended the Great Gatsby-themed evening staged by the Coventry and Warwickshire Business Group of the NSPCC in the E.ON Lounge at the Ricoh Arena, where guests were treated to a champagne reception followed by a three course meal.

Highlights of the evening included entertainment from one of the UK’s top 1920s bands, Jivin Miss Daisy, as well as performances by a 14-year-old pianist Zak Richards and Mancunian crooner Cole Page.

A live and silent auction helped to boost the fundraising pot with guests able to bid for a number of glamorous ‘money can’t buy’ prizes and all of the proceeds raised will be used by the NSPCC to help support children in Coventry.

A number of lucky participants of the Precious Stones Challenge also received prizes including a diamond ring, pear and gold ear-rings and diamond ear-rings which were hidden in small chocolate boxes.

Les Ratcliffe the chairman of the Coventry and Warwickshire Business Group, said: “The NSPCC ball is always well supported but this year was particularly special as we celebrated its tenth anniversary.”

Record amount raised at Dragonboat Festival

THIS year’s Dragonboat Festival in Birmingham’s Brindleyplace has raised £66,000 in aid of Help Harry Help Others (HHHO) thanks to impressive fundraising from local businesses.

This year, the charity boat race celebrated its 15th anniversary and as usual teams raced each other in Chinese longboats on the canal at Brindleyplace.

Each team was required to raise a minimum of £1,500 for HHHO through sponsorship. Impressively, Deutsche Bank – sponsors of the Dragonboat Festival for the last four years – raised £33,118.

Overall £66,854.68 was donated to the ‘HelpCope’ strand of HHHO, which provides practical and financial support to families living with cancer.

Lydia Ellis, marketing manager at Brindleyplace, said: “I want to thank everyone who took part in the races and those who donated so kindly this year. I’m thrilled to say this is the largest total we’ve ever raised at our annual Dragonboat Festival, surpassing last year’s figure of £48,000 and bringing the total amount raised to over £350,000 over the last 15 years.”

Following a competitive battle on the water the champion of the boat race was, for the second year running, the West Midlands Fire Service team.

RLB graduates join forces with The Prince’s Trust

GRADUATES at Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB) in Birmingham are playing a key role in helping young people to secure work after teaming up with the Princes Trust.

Craig Badger, Chanda Kayumba and Ellie Knowles have worked as mentors for the Trusts’ progression and team programmes for the last six months.

The trio first volunteered to work with the charity as part of their commitment to the Bucknall’s First Rung (BFR) programme. All three graduates are trainee quantity surveyors with the property and construction consultancy.

The BFR programme focusses on assisting young people not in education, employment or training (NEETs) to work in the construction industry. The Princes Trust delivers a series of core programmes across the UK to NEETs and therefore the two initiatives are aligned.

Nigel Mason, managing partner for Rider Levett Bucknall in Birmingham said: “There are nearly one million people that fall into the NEET’s bracket and I am proud of the efforts that these graduates have made over the last few months.”

MG revs up its fundraising efforts

CAR maker MG has raised more than £2,500 for Macmillan Cancer Support this year.

Every week MG opens the doors to its Birmingham site and allows members of the public to visit the home of the MG brand and the SMTC UK centre for design, engineering and assembly. 

There is also an on-site dealership displaying the full range of current models and a small museum featuring some iconic models from both MG and previous brands built at the Longbridge site. 

The tour is free, however visitors are asked to make a donation, the proceeds of which are then split between MGs chosen charities. For 2014 MG is supporting Macmillan Cancer Support and Acorns Children’s Hospice in Birmingham.

Visitors include various MG car clubs from around the country, student groups from the UK and abroad, private clubs and owners of current and historic MG products.

MG Motor UK HR manager, Louise Carter handed over the latest donation to Emily Morgan, fundraising manager at Macmillan Cancer Support, following the factory’s coffee morning event where more than 100 people attended, raising over £500 on the day.”