Venture 2021 - Registration Now Open!
Local businesses are now invited to sign up to the charity fundraising campaign which begins in February 2021. The Apprentice-style challenge, entitled ‘Venture’, sees teams start with £100. They are then given 8 weeks to invest the £100 and generate as much income from it as possible. All funds raised will go directly to Charlie House’s ‘Big Build Appeal’ and to support their plans to build a specialist support centre on the grounds of Woodend Hospital in Aberdeen.
The winning team will scoop the coveted ‘Venture Team 2021’ trophy which will remain in their possession for the year following the competition, when it will then be passed to 2022’s winners. All six members of the winning team also secure a space on business mentor Bob Keiller’s Business Storytelling course, generously donated by Mr Keiller. But it’s not all work and no play as the winners will finally head to Lochter Activity Centre, Oldmeldrum for a choice of two activities per person which include karting, segway, archery, rifle, target shooting or blindfold driving, kindly donated by Lochter Activity Centre.
Local business mentor and Venture supporter Bob Keiller says, “Signing up for Charlie House Venture 2021 is a great way to light the entrepreneurial spark in an organisation. More than ever, companies need to be innovative, imaginative and flexible. The teams that enter the Venture programme will need to be cunning, resourceful and committed – just the sort of qualities most organisations need today. Great cause, great for you and your company and great for the individual team members. And for the winners, a great opportunity to learn game-changing skills."
Last year saw The Ledingham Chalmers team, known as ‘The LEDS Factor’ for the purposes of the competition, crowned Charlie House Venture 2019 champions. Speaking of her involvement in last year’s challenge, Jennifer Young, Partner at Ledingham Chalmers, said, “In line with our ‘Out Of The Comfort Zone’ theme for the Venture 2019 challenge, our activities included snake handling, flying into the danger zone with a screening of 80’s classic Top Gun - one for the Kenny Loggins fans, and hearing from Louise McCullough from Channel 4’s SAS Who Dares Wins about how she coped with the show’s physical and mental challenges. There were so many reasons we chose to take part. That year, our charity efforts were focused on healthcare. Plus, Charlie House does such magnificent work for families in the north east, and I’m just one of the people from our firm involved with the charity. Colleagues from across the firm came together and worked as a team on a business plan. I think it’s fair to say all my colleagues who took part pushed themselves a little, found out more about what they were capable of, and we all had a great deal of fun along the way raising money for such an important cause.”
Susan Crighton, Director of fundraising for Charlie House, says, “Our inaugural Venture challenge last year saw all of the teams come with incredible ideas and make exceptional efforts, we were blown away by the range and style of fundraising. The fundraising campaigns submitted were imaginative, carefully thought out and very well executed. Ideas ranged from selling a mindfulness colouring book to braving staff fears with a visit from a giant python, a talk from a Channel 4 reality TV star and a one-off piece of artwork incorporating hand-drawn images from the families we support. We are so excited to see what the Venture 2021 teams bring.”
Susan continues, “At a time when organisations are working from home and the team dynamic has been significantly changed, the Venture 2021 fundraising campaign is a fantastic team building opportunity which can help to forge stronger relationships and collaborative working. Most importantly, not only will teams help raise vital funds for Charlie House’s Big Build Appeal but also help spread awareness about the charity and the work and vital support we currently carry out for North-east families. “
Venture 2021 will run for eight weeks between Monday 1st February 2021 and Sunday 28th March 2021. Team entries must be received by Friday 22nd January 2021 and each team should have no less than two members and no more than six.
To receive a free information and/or sign-up pack, email fundraise@charliehouse.org.uk or call 01224 313333. To find out more about the Charlie Big Build Appeal visit: https://www.charliehouse.org.uk/big-build-appeal/
