Getting Active: from left, Laura Richmond, Paul Gibson and Rachel McCulloch prepare for the SABIC Tees Pride 10k in aid of Middlesbrough and Teesside Philanthropic Foundation.
STAFF at Tees financial firm Active are living up to their name by getting fit in preparation for a big charity push in the forthcoming SABIC Tees Pride 10k.
Active Financial Services will pound the roads of Middlesbrough on Sunday, September 8 to raise funds for the groundbreaking Middlesbrough and Teesside Philanthropic Foundation.
The established financial consultants are putting their best feet forward by raising as much money as they can for the Foundation’s support of the Evening Gazette’s Wish Sport campaign.
The Foundation has promised to donate £30,000 to Wish Sport, giving dozens of local not-for-profit sports clubs a chance to gain a share of the cash jackpot for much-needed funds.
As generous corporate patrons of the Foundation, Active already play their part in a unique charity that has raised £450,000 for Teesside community causes over the past two years.
Now their staff are stepping forward to show their commitment to a charity director Karl Pemberton describes as “Teesside’s charitable heartbeat”.
Karl, who will be joined on the run by fellow director Paul Gibson and staff Rachel McCulloch, Laura Richmond and Lewis Pearson, said: “We are a local firm, we’re local guys and most of our staff live on Teesside, so it’s important to us that the causes we help are here in this area.
“The effects of the recession do make you think more about those good causes that are one of our own. It has certainly made me become more patriotic and passionate about our area – and I think it’s brilliant that the Foundation has a similar philosophy.
“That’s why we’re so proud to be patrons and why our staff are so keen to get involved and raise further funds via the 10k.”
Administrator Laura, 21, added: “I do circuit training three times a week so hopefully I’m fairly fit but I’m not a great lover of running so I’m just going to give it my best.
“I’m very competitive in whatever I do, so we’ll have to see whether we run as a team or make it a race!
“We’ve previously done a lot of fundraising for Zoe’s Place and Daisy Chain, who are both great local charities, but this time we’re giving the funds we raise to the Foundation to split between lots of fantastic local causes.
The Philanthropic Foundation would love to hear from more people interested in taking part in aid of the Wish Sport campaign.
Chairman Andy Preston, who will himself be running the 10k, said: “The Philanthropic Foundation is determined to make a real difference to the lives of local people and let the outside world know Teesside is a great place to live, work and do business.
“It’s fantastic that the Active Financial staff are flying the flag by joining other Foundation patrons in taking part in the 10k. The Tees Pride 10k is a wonderful event that promotes the fantastic community spirit we have here on Teesside.”
If you would like to run the 10k in aid of the Philanthropic Foundation and the Wish Sport campaign, email info@teessidecharity.org.uk or visit www.teessidecharity.org.uk.
Pledge to raise £250 and the Foundation will pay for your race entry fee and provide an exclusive T-shirt for your run.
The Foundation’s generous patrons include Tees Pride 10k sponsors SABIC, together with Middlesbrough FC, Bulkhaul, AV Dawson, Devereux, Endeavour Partnership, Unasys, Macks Solicitors, Erimus Insurance Brokers and Onyx Group.
To sponsor Team Active’s 10k run, visit:
www.justgiving.com/teams/ActiveFinancial
For more details about the SABIC Tees Pride 10k, taking place on Sunday September 8, visit
www.runmiddlesbrough.com.
