Colleagues at supply base operator ASCO have smashed their target to raise £50,000 for charity to mark the company’s landmark 50thanniversary.
Since 2008, staff have raised over £100,000 for various charities which have been nominated by colleagues. In 2016 the company’s dedicated volunteer Lifestyle Team raised £35,688 for The Brain Tumour Charity and the local Scottish SPCA.
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Early last year, efforts were stepped up even further with the company setting a £50,000 target in honour of ASCO’s 50th anniversary – and that aim has been smashed with some £75,000 raised during 2017, boosted thanks to a £25,000 donation from the company.
For the first time, the number of beneficiaries for the year was increased to three organisations, namely SANDs Stillbirth and Neonatal Deaths charity, The Great Yarmouth and Gorleston Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and Kayleigh’s Wee Stars all of whom will receive a share of the money raised.
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Staff across ASCO’s locations got involved with the fundraising effort thanks to a host of initiatives ranging from a football tournament, bake sales and quiz nights to a staff raffle to win extra holidays, a golf day supported by clients, suppliers and colleagues, and a global walking challenge which saw staff cover nearly 30,000 miles during “STEPtember”.
To mark the Lifestyle Team’s tenth anniversary in 2018, the committee has refocussed their philosophy on the “Three Cs”, Colleagues, Charity and Community to drive its efforts and, following an internal vote, three charities have been chosen as beneficiaries in 2018.
Congratulating the ASCO team on their efforts, Aberdeen Lord Provost Barney Crockett said: “To raise such a huge amount for three such worthy charities is marvellous and testament to the hard work, dedication and enthusiasm of ASCO staff.
“ASCO’s lifestyle team’s philosophy ‘colleagues, charity and community’ is a great focus and one which we should all try to adopt.”
Ewan Alexander from Kayleigh’s Wee Stars said: The £45,000 donation from ASCO is our largest single donation to date for Kayleigh’s Wee Stars. It’s an incredible amount to raise and donate to a local charity in one year, especially given the challenges faced locally in our economy. This means we have secured funds for 2018 to continue providing families in Scotland with financial assistance in tragic circumstances. To have that security behind us is simply fantastic. We can’t thank them enough for what they have done for us.”
Jamie Marr, General Manager Aberdeen Shorebase Operations and Head of the ASCO Lifestyle Team added: ‘We are delighted to have surpassed our ambitious target of £50,000 last year and to be able to donate so much money to our chosen charities, especially as the charities we support are chosen by ASCO colleagues so represent causes close to our hearts.
“I would like to say a huge thank you to the Lifestyle Team who continue to dedicate their spare time to our fundraising efforts and our clients, suppliers and colleagues who went above and beyond to support us in our bid to raise £50,000 – it wouldn’t have been possible without them.
“The Lifestyle Team is ready for another year of fundraising and we’re looking forward to working with other local community groups, charities and of course this year’s charities which are Friends of Anchor and The Scottish Air Ambulance.”
