Joyce Hammond, call centre manager, was involved in the firstBBC
CiN at BT, Warrington 10 years ago and was responsiblefor
co-ordinating this year’s event. She said: “This is a
greatopportunity to bring all the BT contact centre staff together,
towork side-by-side and raise money for such a great cause. Itwas
hard work and stressful at times, but everyone reallyenjoyed taking
part in the fundraising activities and it’s all forcharity after
all. Many of the BT employees have kids of theirown and this is a
cause very close to their hearts. We are very
pleased with all the effort and hard work that has gone into
making this year’sBBC Children in Need such a great success!”
Warrington’s 100-plus volunteers took donations worth £111,504.
Pictured – Ms Hammond with some of the children of
volunteers.
More than 180 volunteers were onduty at BT’s call centre on
Gosforth Business Park, Newcastle, where they took 8,000 calls.
TrevorCharlton, Newcastle sales contact centre director, thanked
Angela Rowlands, head of the organisingteam, and her colleagues and
the volunteers. And he said: “For us here in Newcastle it is a
greatopportunity to use our expertise to help make a difference to
those in need.”
Ms Rowlands said: “Organising just this one part of a huge event
like Children in Need is a big challengebut it is also great fun. I
feel a huge sense of achievement watching the weeks of hard work
come to lifewhen the volunteers are sitting down at their desks
waiting for donation calls to come through.”
Staff also raised more than £3,000 with events such as raffles,
cake stalls, tombola, hair shaving anda chocolate fondue. Pictured
– BT’s Newcastle centre employs 1,460 people; Mr Charlton (seated)
with
Richard Wilkinson and Susie Foster.
Calls handled at BT, Ropewalk, Lincoln,totalled 1,500 and more
than 75 volunteerstoo over £44,393 in pledges. The project teamwas
led by Laura Goldberg, contact centremanager, and Kay Appleyard. Ms
Goldbergsaid: “The team worked so hard, well into thenight and we
had volunteers from all acrossthe business, from engineers through
tocontact centre operatives. There was a lot offun and a fantastic
team spirit and we aredelighted with the amount raised.” Other
events,including sports, a raffle and a Wii five-a-side
football match, raised £1,077. Pictured – Ms Goldberg (third
from left)
with, from left: Val Musk, Aaron Butcher,Danielle Wilkinson, Kay
Appleyard and DaveCobby; Dave Astbury won the Guitar
Herocompetition.
Claire Andrews, call centre manager, and Gill
Anderson,administrator, were the co-ordinators at BT, Dundee,where
270 volunteers took calls worth £119,000. MsAnderson said: “It was
a mammoth task and was quitenerve wracking in the run up to the
night because youwant everything to go well! It’s the fourth
telethon I’vebeen involved in but the first one I’ve helped to
organise.We were the only BT call centre handling calls inScotland,
so everyone worked together to make sure weput Dundee on the
map.
“It was a fantastic night – everyone was veryfocused on taking
as many calls as they could but allthe fun activities we’d planned
brought a bit of light-
heartedness to the evening – not to mention raising moremoney
for a great cause.”
Events on the night included a disco and karaoke, face painting,
hair braiding and curling, funfairgames like a coconut shy and
roll-a-penny and an acoustic session from local musicians.
Earlier
fundraising included a band night at a local venue. Pictured -
Leona McGrady.
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