STAFF at property consultants Bidwells have raised more than £10,000 for cancer charity Maggie’s Centre’s.
Each of the 62 employees have raised £166.08 so far - coming to a combined total of £10,297. The office goal is £180 per person, which would make £11,160.
The fundraising is taking place to mark the company’s 180th anniversary and staff and volunteers at Maggie’s Oxford Centre in the grounds of the Churchill Hospital are grateful for their efforts.
Bidwells marketing manager Victoria Hasson said: “It’s a charity that affects everybody, no matter what age you are.
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“There’s a Maggie’s Centre in every town or city that our offices are based, and we’re quite local to a Maggie’s Centre so it’s just a really nice charity for us to support.’’
Employees raced each other in cars bought for £400 or less from Oxford to the company’s Fort William office in a Rust Bucket Rally challenge on September 13.
Contractors that work with the company all donated £2,200 to sponsor a car.
The company is hosting a pub quiz at the Tap Social in Botley tomorrow at which staff hope to raise between £1,200 and £2,000.
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Prizes and vouchers for the quiz’s raffle have been donated, with day passes to Blenheim Palace, free tickets to the Cotswold Wildlife Park, two tickets to the Ashmolean Museum’s Pompeii exhibition and a £100 voucher for England Rugby.
Other fundraising activities have included getting office partners in stocks and having team members to throw sponges at them.
Personal assistant Fiona Parry said: “We really appreciated the partners being so willing to get involved and have wet sponges thrown at them, all in the name of charity.
"Hopefully there weren’t too many bruised egos at the end!’’
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Employees have also taken part in football matches and fancy dress days to boost donations, and the next scheduled fundraising activity is a gin making competition.
Office manager Karen Matthews said: “It’s been a real bonding exercise bringing everyone in the office together under a common goal that people can relate to both in and out of the workplace."
Mrs Hasson said: “I think we’d like to run it again next year and go to Rome!”
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Maggie’s Centres’ Oxford fundraising organiser Ruth Pearson said: “All of us would like to say thank you to the Bidwells team for all their fundraising this year.
"Thanks to their support we can continue to offer support to the people who use our centre whether facing a cancer diagnosis themselves or supporting a loved one.’’
Maggie’s Centre’s provide free practical, emotional and social support to people with cancer and their friends and family at 22 centres across the UK.
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