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LEADERS - TOGETHER FOR SHORT LIVESCHARITY UPDATE

Spring 2017

OUR CHARITY PARTNERSHIP FOR 2017

We are delighted to be continuing our charity partnership with Together for Short Lives in 2017.

The majority of staff who completed our recent employee engagement survey said they would like to continue to support this fantastic charity again for a third year.

Since we began our partnership with Together for Short Lives in 2015 we have raised an incredible £95,000 for them which goes towards supporting our local children’s hospices across our branch network. These hospices are a lifeline to thousands of families across the UK with seriously ill children – including 12-year-old Ruby, whose story you can read on page 4.

Thank you to each and every one of you who has got behind this cause and helped to make such a big difference.

OUR TARGET FOR 2017

Last year we raised an amazing £50,000 thanks to the efforts and generosity of so many of you, plus our customers, business associates and the general public. With your continued support we would love to achieve the same target again this year!

A HUGE THANK YOU FROM TOGETHER FOR SHORT LIVES

To all at Leaders,

We are incredibly grateful for the ongoing support of everyone at Leaders. To have raised £95,000 over the last two years for local children’s hospices is an incredible achievement.

This support is making a huge difference to the lives of thousands of children and their families every day. These children have very complex and unpredictable conditions, making daily life for the whole family extremely challenging. They rely on the support of their local children’s hospice services, who in turn rely on the support of their communities and fantastic companies like Leaders and everyone who works there.

Thank you for your ongoing enthusiasm and energy in support of our partnership, it means so much to us and the families we are able to help.

Nick Appleby, Head of Corporate Partnerships

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HOW TO GET INVOLVED?

Every member of staff is invited to join in our fundraising efforts and contribute ideas to help us raise as much as possible throughout the year.

Whether you want to take part in a sponsored challenge or organise your own fundraising event, Leaders will support you by:

• sponsoringyouorprovidingcashtowardsyour fundraising

• helpingyoutopromoteyourfundraisingefforts with press releases, social media posts, flyers, posters, etc

• providingballoons,T-shirts,collectiontins,raffle tickets, butterfly pins and Leaders merchandise for your event

• puttingyouintouchwithyourlocalchildren’s hospice who can give you ideas and support your fundraising

• givingyouadayoffwork(oradayoffinlieu)to volunteer for your local children’s hospice

For more information and resources please see the charity section on the home page of the Intranet or email lisamartin@leaders.co.uk

Donate with Payroll Giving and win an extra day’s holiday

All employees are eligible to sign up to Payroll Giving which enables you to make tax free donations to any charity – either as a one-off or on a regular basis.

For any month that you donate £5 or more to TfSL via Payroll Giving you will be entered into a prize draw to win an extra day’s holiday. If you make a monthly donation of £5 or more you will be entered into the draw every month.

For more information or to sign up please see Payroll Giving information on the home page of the Intranet.

CHARITY AWARD WINNERS

The branches that raised the most during 2016 were:

1st - Pride Park Derby – Children’s Hospice Week - raised £2,150 - with their sponsored walk, Edinburgh Marathon challenge, cake sale and car wash in tutus and butterfly wings!

2nd - Reigate – two Rampage Runs - raised £1,820 – with their team effort in not just one, but two muddy Rampage Runs!

3rd - Haywards Heath – Smarties tube challenge - raised £1,228 – by inviting local children to swap smarties for 20p coins for Together for Short Lives!

The staff member to raise the most in 2016 was:

Caroline Hobson, Property Manager, East Grinstead - Raised £830

Caroline put her photography skills to good use offering families an affordable photo shoot at the striking Balcombe Viaduct Bridge in Mid Sussex. She was inundated with bookings and sponsorship for this fantastic fundraising idea – well done Caroline!

Have you got any hidden talents you could use to raise money for TfSL?

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Sponsored cycle challenge and team walk - Portsmouth

The team took part in two tough physical challenges – a 12 mile walk and a cycle ride of 271 miles on a stationary bikeintheoffice(thedistancebetweenalltheLeadersHampshireandDorsetOffices),raisingover£900.

Bum in a Bucket – Beckenham

The girls at Beckenham came up with their own fun adaptation of the Ice Bucket Challenge– sitting in an ice cold bucket of water – and then nominating others to do the same. They raised over £300.

Sponsored 10k walk around London – Bromley

For the second year running, the Bromley team organised a sponsored walk around London raising £890.

Last Man Standing – Tom Witham, Marketing

Around 100 Leaders staff took part in this competition to predict premier league match winners each week, with the overall winner receiving a cash prize and £174 going to Together for Short Lives.

Pick ‘n Mix at Head Office – Rachael Ellis, Marketing

Specially-packaged bags of Leaders branded Pick ‘n Mix were made up and sold to Head Office staff in need of a sweet fix, raising £184.

The following fundraising initiatives all deserve a special mention for originality, effort and engagement:

Ride for Short Lives – Sharon Wotherpoon, Waterlooville

Dozens of bikers took part in an organised motorbike rally across the Hampshire countryside, ending at Naomi House Children’s Hospice, raising £480.

Charity Golf Day - Epsom

For a second year running, dozens of golfers enjoyed 18 holes, some fun competitions, great food and an evening of entertainment at Leaders Charity Golf Day in Surrey, raising £1,500.

Halloween and Xmas pop up café - Redditch

The Redditch branch was transformed into a café twice in 2016, selling hot drinks, cakes and treats to the general public, raising more than £600.

Pub quiz – Mansfield

A very successful pub quiz created and organised by the Mansfield team at their local pub raised £375.

Connect Halloween fundraiser – Leaders Connect

Spooky games, delicious treats and a fancy dress competition at head office for Halloween brought in £200.

HIGHLY COMMENDED

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RUBY’S STORY

12-year-old Ruby has various symptoms which have developed over many years. She has lots of diagnoses, but no defined condition, which means her symptoms are difficult to manage.

She has a paralysis of the stomach, Gastroperisis, meaning she can’t empty food in the normal way. She has an ileostomy bag to collect waste. She has hypoglycaemia which means she needs to be fed very regularly – up to 22 hours a day. She has hypermobility which causes her lots of pain and means she gets fatigued very quickly. She gets chronic pain in her gut, back and joints requiring various medications throughout the day, every day.

“When Ruby was born everything seemed okay but within a couple of weeks my maternal instinct was telling me something wasn’t as it should be,” says mum Nicki. “She was in so much pain when she tried to eat I was sure something wasn’t quite right.”

Ruby has had to endure many operations through the years and needs specialist round-the-clock care. “As a parent it’s your worst nightmare, watching your child suffer, being in agony not being able to take the pain away for them, and having to constantly tell her it’s going to be alright when you know it’s not alright and you know the next day she’s going to go through the exact same thing again. It’s soul-destroying. When you have children you don’t plan for this. You wouldn’t wish that on anyone. It’s like a bad dream you don’t wake up from.”

“It’s so difficult for us to see her going through the pain,” says dad Vic. “That’s the worst thing, because you just want to take that pain away. But Ruby’s amazing, she always gets on with whatever problems she has. She rarely complains, she’s very spirited and always keeps us on our toes. There are no words that can describe how proud we are of Ruby.”

Ruby and her family have been supported by ShootingStar Chase children’s hospice for six years, providing short breaks, and a number of therapeutic activities.

Nicki says Shooting Star Chase gives Ruby the opportunity to forget about her symptoms. “Ruby feels secure there because she can be Ruby without having to hide the tubes. No one’s looking at her; no one’s making any assumptions about her. She always has an amazing time there. What she gets from Shooting Star Chase is priceless. She comes homes happy and completely fulfilled. Shooting Star Chase is a happy vibrant place full of love – that’s what you notice when you go through the door – that feeling of love and security.”

Vic says the support from Shooting Star Chase is also vital for parents. “There’s been a few times when we’ve picked up the phone and called Shooting Star Chase and said ‘Help. Please help.’ And they’ve always said ‘yes, what can we do and how can we do it?’”

Shooting Star Chase has also enabled Ruby and the family to enjoy special treats to make every moment count. “We’ve been to tea at Selfridges with Dame Joan Collins, and tea at The Dorchester,’” says Nicki. “And going to X Factor was so special,” adds Vic. “When we came out Ruby said it was the best day she’s ever had; basically the best day of her life. We try to look at the positives so when Ruby is undergoing treatment or when she’s in pain or feeling really down we’ll say ‘do you remember when this happened and do you remember when that happened?’ Those happy memories are so valuable and it’s Shooting Star Chase who has given us all of those memories.”

WHAT’S COMING UP?

GOOD LUCK TO OUR 2017 MARATHON RUNNERS

Turner Reynolds, RustingtonBrighton Marathon – 9th April

www.justgiving.com/fundraising/turner-reynolds3 Will Davis, EpsomMilton Keynes Marathon – 1st May

www.justgiving.com/fundraising/w-davis

Turner and Will have been training hard throughout the winter. Please show them your support with a little sponsorship to keep them going!

Children’s Hospice Week – 22-28 May 2017

Every branch, department and member of staff is invited to join in Children’s Hospice Week, the annual national event to raise awareness and money for children and young people living with health conditions that are life-shortening or life-threatening, and for the services that help them.

From cakes sales and dress down, to raffles and physical challenges – no matter how big or small your fundraising efforts – every penny you raise will add up to make a huge difference to TfSL.

We will announce the theme nearer the time so you can get planning!