Supporting Charity, Supporting Your Teammates

We are all motivated to support charity for different reasons.  Often a combination of factors will lead to us choosing to give to a charitable cause.  It could be the urgency or horror of an international crisis, an ongoing commitment to a charity we really care about, one of our friends choosing to run a stupid distance or do something ridiculous, or even because we feel sorry for the cheerful but freezing-looking fundraiser stood with a bucket outside the supermarket.  Passion, guilt, gratitude, fear, encouragement, hope, grief, emotional connection…they all play their part.

When I’m working with local businesses raising money for Nottingham Hospitals Charity, one motivation that I see, time and time again, is team spirit.  It never fails to inspire me, the ways in which some people choose to show their support and friendship for colleagues, by getting charitable.

Last year, for instance, I was lucky enough to work with Pendragon, the UK’s largest motor dealer, whose head office is just outside Nottingham.  Pendragon has over 200 dealerships all over the UK, and is a big supporter of the local communities in which it operates – every year raising thousands of pounds for charities chosen by its staff.

The big focus for the year is Pendragon’s annual Charity Challenge, which takes place over one day in August, with all of the dealerships and offices getting involved with activities to raise money for one particular charity.  Like many companies, the choice of charity partner is made by a staff vote.

Last year, the winning charity was Nottingham Hospitals Charity, and specifically our Hayward House appeal.  This choice was down to one very special lady, and to the team spirit, support and love shown by her colleagues.

Arlene is a Warranty Administrator, based at Pendragon’s head office.  In 2014, Arlene’s husband Kevin was diagnosed with terminal cancer.  He spent the last few days of his life being treated at Hayward House, the palliative care unit on the grounds of City Hospital, Nottingham.

Arlene was so passionate about the care that had been given to Kevin, as well as to her and her family and other families like them, she knew exactly which charity she wanted to support when the time came to choose for the 2015 Charity Challenge.  And when colleagues heard more, the votes for Hayward House started pouring in.  Yes, the staff of Pendragon wanted to support an excellent local charity giving support to people at the most difficult time of their lives, but they also wanted to support their colleague and friend, Arlene.

Staff at car showrooms from Edinburgh to Plymouth took part: baking cakes, dressing up (I learnt that Pendragon people LOVE to dress up!), washing cars, waxing legs, putting managers in the stocks, cycling miles on exercise bikes, holding raffles, barbecues, limbo competitions…having fun and raising a huge amount of money for Hayward House – over ￡18,000 in total.

I know the positive impact that this money will have at Hayward House – helping to fund massage and aromatherapy for patients receiving end of life care, arts and craft activities for day care patients, improvements to facilities, and additional counselling and nursing support.  But I also saw what a positive impact it had on Arlene, and how important it was for her - to see her colleagues making such an effort to raise money for Hayward House for her, and in memory of her husband.

The cheque presentation I did with Arlene and her colleagues (watched and cheered on by scores more staff at Pendragon’s head office) was one of the most emotional I have ever done.  It was clear how much this meant.

Pendragon is not the only company whose motivation to support Nottingham Hospitals Charity is about team spirit, though – far from it.  It’s something I am heartened to see happening in businesses of all shapes and sizes, again and again.

Nottingham City Transport, for instance, recently chose to make a donation of ￡500 to our Tiny Babies Appeal, supporting Nottingham’s Neonatal Units, in recognition of the care given to one driver’s daughter whose premature baby tragically passed away.

Another company raising money for Hayward House last year was the Langley Mill-based weighing scales supplier, County Scales, whose team united behind a member of staff whose wife had spent her final days being cared for there.  They collected items to sell at a car boot sale, raising more than ￡700 for Hayward House, and showing vital support for their colleague.

For the last two years, Lincoln-based aviation experts Inzpire Ltd have generously made a donation to Nottingham Hospitals Charity for every staff survey that has been filled in.  This has generated nearly ￡5,000 for the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit at QMC, after the daughter of a member of staff was cared for so wonderfully there.  Tragically the little girl lost her life in 2014.  The ongoing support provided by her father’s employer, and by his colleagues, in recognition of the care given to “one of their own” is phenomenal, and must prove to be a huge source of comfort to him and his family.

When something terrible happens, you need support from people around you – be that family, friends, neighbours or work colleagues.  It’s inspiring to see close-knit staff teams at companies locally doing what they can not only to raise money to fund improvements to facilities, new equipment, additional services and vital medical research at Nottingham’s hospitals, but also to show their commitment to their colleagues, and their all-important team spirit.