CSR: Firecracker Ball, Opera North, Poppy Appeal, Centrepoint
BARNARDO’S has received £300,000 from the 2015 Firecracker Ball.
The event has hit its fundraising targets of £2m for the children’s charity since the two were first linked in 2002.
720 guests attended the event last Saturday at Rudding Park Hotel in Harrogate.
Barnardo’s vice president Phil Taylor said: “This is a milestone achievement for the Firecracker Ball and it is thanks to the support and generosity of everybody involved, from those who have helped by donating a prize, buying a ticket or bidding in the auction.
“Without you we couldn’t help Barnardo’s to change the lives of thousands of children and young people in Yorkshire.”
All funds will be donated to Barnardo’s in Yorkshire, who each year help almost 14,000 children, young people and their families in over 80 specialised projects in local communities. Since 2002 The Firecracker Ball has donated almost 1.7 million pounds.
Kirsty Guy, relationship manager, from Barnardo’s said: “The funds raised are helping to make sure Barnardo’s services across Yorkshire can continue to offer services that are in strong demand by the local community, this year focusing on support for young people leaving care and at risk of homelessness.”
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HAMMERSON, the developers behind Victoria Gate, have celebrated becoming a founding business partner with Opera North with a performance at Victoria Quarter, the sister-site of Victoria Gate.
Opera North Business Partners is a membership scheme for business leaders who recognise the role that Opera North plays in keeping the North cultural.
Hammerson joined Opera North as a founding partner of the scheme, to support the Company’s diverse work in the community.
Artists Daisy Brown and Nick Watts, accompanied by pianist Tony Kraus, performed an excerpt from L’elisir d’amore.
Opera North is a registered charity with a £16m annual turnover, the Company is a significant contributor to the region’s economic and cultural wealth.
James Hepburn, development manager at Victoria Gate, said: “Opera North is playing a hugely important role in inspiring communities and younger people to appreciate opera in Leeds and beyond.
“This investment in the community is one that we are always looking to support, and reflects our own commitment to Leeds as a cultural city centre and local employer. We’re delighted to build a closer relationship with them and support the Company’s Schools Matinee performance in February.”
Jacqui Cameron, Opera North education director, said: “Young people have a much more instinctive response to opera, booing the villains and cheering the heroes, which gives our Schools Matinee performances a particularly special atmosphere.
“With all our initiatives, we aim to increase the accessibility of opera across the community and are very grateful for Hammerson’s commitment in helping us achieve this.”
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HOMELESS charity Centrepoint has received a £3,700 donation from law firm Gordons.
A group of 20 from the firm braved the elements to sleep rough at Bradford’s Provident Stadium on a wet and windy Thursday, last week on 12 November.
The Centrepoint Sleep Out takes place every year across the UK, and raised a total of £420,000. This was the fourth year that the Bradford Sleep Out has taken place.
Gordons’ HR manager, Karen Mills, said: “The weather may have been against us, but the enthusiasm and dedication of the whole team made the night bearable. And, of course, however horrible the conditions were for us, we could never say that the ‘Sleep Out’ compares to what young homeless people go through, although we did experience a few of the realities.
“For us it was just one night, but some are faced with these realities every night. The money we have raised through the generosity of our sponsors will be a big help to Centrepoint, which makes the night worthwhile.”
Centrepoint supports homeless people across the UK, providing some of the 83,000 people experiencing homelessness every year with housing, healthcare and education.
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RETAIL centre the Merrion Centre and its operators Town Centre Securities have raised £20,000 for The Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal.
Four directors from TCS took it in turns to run and manage a stall selling a range of Poppy merchandise to shoppers
They each had a team of nine TCS members of staff and three days to sell.
Edward Ziff, chairman and chief executive of TCS and his sales squad came out on top, taking £3,471. Combined with the money raised from the other teams, resulted in a grand total of £12,724 for the Pop-Up Poppy Shop Stand, with the rest made up from Poppy tin charitable donations.
Edward Ziff commented; “What better way to encourage sales entrepreneurship and boost staff morale, than a little bit of healthy rivalry. The competition, set up by my daughter Charlotte-Daisy whothankfully was part of my team, was to see who could sell the most, but what really inspired us, was the desire toraise as much money as possible for such a worthy charity. We hope we can join forces with the Poppy Shop again and raise even more money, hopefully my team will be triumphant again next year!”
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