Banking group raises over £45k for children's charity
Newlife helps children across the UK live their lives to the fullest potential. As the UK’s largest charitable provider of specialist disability equipment, Newlife provides vital equipment to disabled and terminally ill children, as well as support to their families and carers through their free Nurse Helpline. Newlife also works with national and local decision makers to campaign for a better future for disabled children.
Paragon employees exceeded the £35,000 target by completing a series of fundraising and sponsored events throughout the company’s financial year, which runs from 1 October to 30 September.
Events included the Three Peaks Challenge, when the ‘Peaky Climbers’ raised £8,500 for Newlife, the Paragon Summer Garden Party and celebrations for King Charles’ Coronation.
As this year's charity partnership ends, Paragon Banking Group’s chosen charity for 2023-24 will be Molly Ollys. The charity was established in 2011 to support children with life-threatening illnesses and offer emotional support to their families. The Warwick-based charity offers bespoke products designed to comfort children and their families throughout their treatments, such as the therapeutic toy lion ‘Olly the Brave’.
Craig Stewart, head of Corporate & Community Partnerships at Newlife, said: “Our partnership with Paragon over the past 12 months has been an absolute joy. There have been some fantastic fundraising efforts and a vast number of corporate volunteering hours we have managed to complete together.
“With our onsite sessions in Solihull and Southampton, to the regular attendees at our Opportunity Centre in Cannock, we have completed over 500 hours of corporate volunteering. Thank you to everyone at Paragon who supported Newlife, and we hope to continue with the fantastic relationship that we have forged.”
Jennie Smith, chair of the Charity Committee at Paragon, commented: “It has been a pleasure to work with Newlife, the charity has been incredibly supportive with our fundraising and providing engaging volunteering opportunities for Paragon employees. We’re delighted to exceed our fundraising target and hopefully, the money raised will make a huge difference to many families with disabled children.
“The excitement continues as we look forward to our new relationship with Molly Ollys, which is a small, but equally wonderful charity. We welcome Olly the Brave and the Molly Ollys team as we begin fundraising for this incredible organisation.”
Deborah Bateman, director of External Relations at Paragon, added: “It’s been a fantastic year working with Newlife. They provide amazing support to disabled children and their families and are passionate about what they do. Newlife offered Paragon endless volunteering opportunities throughout the year and our employees have enjoyed these and the variety of our fundraising events held throughout the year.
“I am extremely proud of the amount raised by our employees across Paragon, and a huge thank you to everyone, including our Charity Committee, for all of their hard work and determination.”
