12 November 2010, Swindon. The Swindon office of insurance-based financial services provider, Zurich, is celebrating completing the Swindon ‘1600 Club’ challenge in aid of the NSPCC’s South West Child’s Voice Appeal.
The fundraising challenge, which ran from March to the end of August this year, saw staff at the Zurich office taking part in various fundraising activities including a three peaks challenge, cake bake, various football-related lotteries, a quiz night, half day holiday raffle, and a jeans day at work – all in an effort to raise £1,600 – the cost of recruiting and training a ChildLine counsellor.
Elaine Quinn, Propositions Manager, Zurich and NSPCC Swindon and North Wilts Chair said: “Well done to everyone at Zurich. We have now completed our 1600 Club challenge – in fact we surpassed that and raised £1,776. It was great fun, and to know that our efforts will help local children to be better protected means even more to all of us here at Zurich.”
Joanne Andersen, Underwriting Manager, Zurich and challenge team leader said: "Our team were up for raising money for NSPCC as soon as we saw it, as it was a cause that instantly touched all our hearts. Our challenge co-ordinators got their thinking caps on straight away to thinks of how we could go about raising the money needed, involving all our team members and having a bit of fun along the way. All in all the team really pulled together, had a lot of fun and we are extremely proud of our efforts in the knowledge that we helped such a fantastic cause."
NSPCC community fundraising manager in Swindon, Patrick Weaver, says the charity is thrilled with the enthusiasm and support Zurich has shown for the cause and is now urging more Swindon businesses to follow suit and become part of the fundraising initiative.
“£1,600, the cost of recruiting and training one of our ChildLine counsellors, is a tremendous amount for a business to raise”, said Patrick.
“Each call to ChildLine costs around £4 to answer, and each volunteer counsellor could answer up to 200 calls a year. By raising the £1,600 it costs to recruit and train a ChildLine volunteer counsellor, Zurich is helping ChildLine answer many more cries for help. I would urge more Swindon businesses to follow in the fantastic footsteps of Zurich and sign up to the 1600 Club challenge today.”
The children’s charity launched the Child’s Voice Appeal in 2008 to raise £50 million nationally to answer more cries for help through its national services, ChildLine and the NSPCC Helpline.
The NSPCC needs more funds because children continue to phone ChildLine and log on to ChildLine.org.uk in search of help. There are also many children who are too young or vulnerable to help themselves, and who need an adult to contact the NSPCC Helpline on their behalf.
The NSPCC wants to strengthen and develop these helpline services, which children and adults in every town and village in the UK, can access. In 2009/10, ChildLine received just over 508,943 calls from across the UK and Channel Islands, of which 1,103 landline calls* were received from the Swindon area. During the same period, the NSPCC Helpline received 747 landline calls** from adults in the Wiltshire area with concerns about the welfare of a child.
By giving to the South West Child’s Voice Appeal, the public will be helping children at risk of abuse to be better informed, better cared for and better protected.
