LONDON 10 July, 2002 -- Zurich is giving its full support to Sport Relief, an exciting new initiative organised by Comic Relief and BBC Sport to unite sportsmen and women to use their power and passion to help kids and young people who are vulnerable and at risk. The money raised will go to projects at home and across the world.
Comic Relief raised £61 million last year, of which Zurich contributed £69,000 making Zurich their largest employee fundraiser.
Friday 12 July has been designated as Zurich's official Sport Relief Day. In addition to Zurich's contact centres in Bournemouth and Fareham taking pledge calls from the public throughout the main TV fund raising day on Saturday 13 July, the following fund raising activities will take place at regional Zurich offices:
CHELTENHAM: 11 July - Zurich Staff Annual Fun Run dedicated to Sport Relief. A ladies' and a mens' event will take place at the Eagle Star Sports Centre and around Swindon Village starting from 6.30pm. On Friday, Cheltenham will also host a sports kit dress down day, a sports quiz and an egg throwing competition at lunchtime.
SWINDON: 12 July - Sports Quiz, Golf day, Darts competition, Egg & Spoon, Balloon Racing, Tiddlywinks Triathlon, Exercise Bike Challenge, Get your Kit on for Sports Relief - pledges to managers wearing sports kits.
LEEDS: July 12 - Boys vs. Girls netball and football matches. Penalty shoot out at team leaders, dressing up as sporting celebrities, arm wrestling championship.
PORTSMOUTH: 12 July - dress down day - staff pay for the privilege in the name of Sport Relief.
Sport Relief's 'Pay to Play' weekend of rugby on 16/17 March also prompted a donation of £4,800 from Zurich for each of the 24 tries scored in the Zurich Premiership.
All proceeds will go to Sport Relief. Half of the money raised will help kids in the UK who live with violence, tension and abuse whilst the other half will go to some of the poorest countries in the world.
Press enquiries to:
Zurich Financial Services
Kitty Barran, Zurich, 0207 317 3840 or kitty.barran@uk.zurich.com
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Notes to Editors:
Sport Relief
Sport Relief is a joint venture between Comic Relief and the BBC, and is a national sporting and fundraising campaign culminating in an evening of Sport Relief entertainment on Saturday 13 July 2002.
Comic Relief is a biennial event and Sport Relief is a new event for the intervening year.
Zurich Financial Services
The Zurich Financial Services Group (www.zurich.com) provides its customers solutions in the areas of financial protection (non-life insurance and structured solutions) and asset gathering (life insurance and asset management). The Group focuses its activities on its key markets of North America, UK and Continental Europe. Founded in 1872, Zurich is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. It has offices in more than 60 countries and employs approximately 70,000 people.
Zurich Financial Services, (UKISA) is part of the Zurich Financial Services Group and comprises the Group's operations in the UK, Ireland and International Businesses.
Zurich considers social responsibility integral to successful business performance. The company's current priorities are diversity in the workforce, community and environment.
Zurich's Community Trust is the umbrella for all community involvement in the UK and is a registered charity funded by pre-tax profits and by donations from staff and financial advisers. It has two main strands: Zurich Cares Trust Programmes which target the most disadvantaged where we can make a significant impact with our level of contribution, and; Zurich Cares, for staff and financial advisers, where almost one third of the staff are involved in volunteering activities, contributing 20,000 hours annually.
Since 1972, more than £37 million has been donated to voluntary organisations in the UK and overseas. Nearly £5.1 million was donated in 2001 alone. The Zurich Community Trust has been recognised for its work, winning the Whitbread Volunteer Action 'Company of the Year' Award, the Insurance Times Community Initiative of the Year Award and receiving the Programme Impact Mark for its India Programme and the Big Tick for its Inclusion Programme from Business in the Community. Visit our website on www.zurich.org.uk for more details.
