11 Business and Administration apprentices based at Babcock’s facilities in Devonport have joined forces to raise more than £4000 for two charities.
As part of their ongoing training programme, the group developed a fundraising programme for St Luke’s Hospice; an independent hospice charity providing specialist end of life care to the people of Plymouth, South West Devon and East Cornwall, and Meningitis Research Foundation; whose vision is a world free from meningitis and septicaemia.
The apprentices hosted a series of events over a two week period and secured some impressive prizes for their raffle, including a £200 Brittany Ferries voucher, a Plymouth Argyle match day experience for two, a £100 Love 2 Shop voucher courtesy of Duradiamond Health Care and three signed Plymouth Argyle shirts.
Thanks to the generosity of Babcock colleagues across the site, the total amount raised exceeded £4000, which has been split equally between the two charities.
Nicola Keen, Corporate Fundraiser at St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth, said: “Last year we launched ‘Patches’ – a pre-bereavement programme for children who are going to lose a loved one in our care. Sadly we support a number of patients who are under the age of 40 and have children.
“In the last 12 months we have seen 137 children cared for through Patches. We know by intervening early with pre – bereavement support it stops serious mental health issues in later life. It costs £500 a child to be supported through Patches. Babcock’s fundraising team raised an impressive £2,000 and this amazing amount of money will not only support children through Patches, but also enable a patient to receive specialist end of life care in their own home where they would prefer to be, with things that are familiar to them.”
Rob Dawson, Director of Support at Meningitis Research Foundation said, “Meningitis and septicaemia are deadly diseases that can strike without warning, killing one in ten, and leaving a third of survivors with life altering after-effects, some as serious as deafness, brain damage or limb loss. We’re extremely grateful to Babcock’s fundraising team. The funds raised will help us enormously to continue our research, awareness and support programmes.”