Evolution Business and Tax Advisors LLP - The Corporate Challenge raises over £33,700 for Tees Valley charities

July 22nd 2010

Evolution Business and Tax Advisors LLP proudly announced at an award ceremony on Wednesday that the 2010 Corporate Challenge raised an amazing sum total of £33,724.19 for three local charities - with more still to collect.

This is the second year the Corporate Challenge has run and benefitted local charities. Evolution Business and Tax Advisors LLP, who recently announced completion of the acquisition of the former Vantis businesses based in the North East has offices in Darlington, Hartlepool and Middlesbrough. The challenge, originally the Vantis Corporate Challenge was completed by Evolution who hosted the awards event to ensure the local charities received the hard earned money that had been raised.

The Challenge was launched in March of this year at Wynyard Hall to a packed reception of businesses and educational establishments from across the Tees Valley region, each signing up and pledging their support.

Commencing on the 1 April the challenge gave teams three months to raise as much money as possible for Zoe’s Place Baby Hospice, Hartlepool & District Hospice and St Teresa’s Hospice - using their initial £50 starter cash stake from Evolution - the only condition was that the fundraising activities had to be done both ethically and legally.

In his speech at the awards ceremony, which was held at Wynyard Hall (July 14th) Ray Priestman, one of the leading members at Evolution, thanked all the Challengers involved for their dedicated fundraising efforts.

He explained: “Over the last 3 months there has been a significant amount of effort put into raising money for the challenge, with various activities taking place by some very special people. At a time when the economic climate continues to be uncertain it would have been very easy for companies to decline the opportunity to get involved with the challenge.

Requesting companies to put in extra time, effort and commitment to a project when many are operating under tighter and leaner business conditions is a big ask. Despite this the companies involved in the Corporate Challenge have demonstrated great attitude and team spirit and rallied their troops helping to raise a fantastic amount of money.”

The fundraising activities undertaken by the Challengers included an abseil off Guisborough Viaduct, cake baking, a Sex And The City inspired ‘Carrie’s Cast-off Bring and Buy’ sale and two brave Evolution employees hiked across the Yorkshire Three Peaks in an effort to raise much needed funds for the charities.

At the award ceremony, companies gathered to be in with a chance of winning one of four top awards being presented: Most Innovative Idea, a Student Team award to recognise schools and colleges that participated in the Corporate Challenge, the Most Money Raised and finally a Special Judges Award.

Christine Murray, Managing Director of amacus Ltd based in Hartlepool, picked up the award for Most Innovative Idea for their ‘Carrie’s Cast-off Bring and Buy’ sale based on this summer’s hit film Sex And The City 2. The amacus team delivered a glamorous event where buyers and sellers brought posh, high end, designer clothes and accessories helping to raise £500.

The Education award recognises the schools and colleges that took part in the challenge. On top of schoolwork, exams and everything else that comes with being a student all the teams performed excellently and with the support of their teachers raised a considerable amount of money for the charities.

During the awards, congratulations were extended to Catcote School in Hartlepool, Darlington College, Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College and Nunthorpe School. However only one team was able to pick up the Student Team Award with the accolade going to a team of students’ from Nunthorpe School in Middlesbrough who really excelled themselves doing everything from bag packing, sponsored silences, car washing, cake baking, sponsored runs – including half marathons, sponsored fasts and much more.

With one award win in the bag Nunthorpe School went on to scoop their second award of the night winning the prestigious award Most Money Raised and not content with beating last year’s figure of £3K set by Teesside Shopping Park , they pulled out all the stops and smashed the target by raising a staggering £5,438 in just 3 months.

Will Bailey of Nunthorpe School said: “This is the 2nd year the school has been involved with the challenge. The students, their parents, teachers and myself are hugely proud of our achievements. Together it has been a collective effort resulting in an amazing outcome for the charities – I am sure Lord Sugar would be happy with the innovation and entrepreneurial sprit demonstrated by our students.”

The final award, the Special Judges Award was presented to a team who showed commitment, dedication and enthusiasm throughout the challenge – the winner Cornerstone Business Solutions.

The judges reached their decision to give Cornerstone Business Solutions this award due to the manner in which the team embraced the challenge from day one, they pro-actively came up with various ideas and involved the local business community. Catching the fundraising bug the company will continue to raise money for the three charities long after the challenge is completed.

The total funds raised by the Corporate Challenge, which already amounts to over £33,700, will be donated equally between the Hartlepool & District Hospice and Zoe’s Place Baby Hospice and St Teresa’s Hospice.

Finally, Ray Priestman at Evolution concluded, “The Corporate Challenge awards have recognised the commendable way in which Tees Valley businesspeople and students have worked together to make a big difference and positively affect the lives of local people. Collectively, the three hospices need to raise £9 per minute to continue offering their invaluable services, which are free of charge to all patients and their families.

This is the 2nd year of the Corporate Challenge and Evolution has had an incredible response from the local community and the creativity shown in their fundraising initiatives. I am delighted and encouraged by what I have seen and most importantly the money raised by all our Challengers will soon be put to good effect. Here’s to the 2011 Challenge.”