Midwich staff have raised £2,500 for the East Anglian Air Ambulance, after staff at technology distributor Midwich volunteered for a 22 mile ‘Swim the Channel’ challenge.
Pictured: The Midwich Key Accounts team of Kelley Chisman, Ellis Barnes, Emma Knowles and Karl Brett, flanked by Commercial Director Alex Ward and Diss Swimming Pool Manager Sally Garnham.
Some 64 Midwich employees, including senior managerst, formed teams of up to four that then swam the distance from Dover to Calais to raise funds for the regional charity.
On being presented with the cheque, David Murphy from the EAAA said: “I’d like to say a big thank you to Midwich for all their efforts. To raise this amount in their first-ever charity event for us is fantastic. £2,000 is the amount we need to send up our helicopter for a mission, so it’s no exaggeration to say that Midwich’s efforts have potentially saved a life.”
The winning team took two weeks to complete their distance, heading for the local pool every day after work. Coming from the company’s Key Accounts department, the team of Kelley Chisman, Emma Knowles, Karl Brett and Ellis Barnes were rewarded with personal fitness training sessions at Wymondham Leisure Centre, swim vouchers plus a trophy supplied by Diss Trophy Centre.
Local council swimming pools let Midwich staff who are not members to use their facilities free. Sally Garnham, centre manager at Diss Swim and Fitness centre said: “We are very happy to support this fantastic fundraising effort by one of our corporate members. Not only do events like this raise money for local charities, they also raise the profile of swimming, a skill that could one day save your life.”
Midwich Commercial Director, Alex Ward, said: “This is our first year supporting EAAA and the response across the board has been fantastic, with new starters signing up for our ‘Swim the Channel Challenge’ alongside our Directors and management. We have also been fortunate to have one of our key business partners – Oki – sponsor the event with some very welcome funding.”
The amount is a welcome start to Midwich’s chosen charity of 2013, with a £15,000 target to be raised from a variety of events over the year, including an auction of promises and charity soccer match.
