Heathrow employees trekked through a jungle, cycled across Britain and sang their hearts out on the way to raising a fantastic £205,000 for their 2010 Charity of the Year, Help for Heroes. This year they’ll be hoping to break that total for new staff cause Macmillan Cancer Support.
Money raised last year will go towards Help for Heroes schemes providing better support for British servicemen and women. Projects include Personnel Recovery Centres in local areas throughout the UK, helping launch injured soldiers back into the next phase of their lives.?Hundreds of BAA Heathrow employees got involved last year through a variety of events such as office sweep stakes, a boot camp in Terminal 5, and a talent competition. Many staff collected huge sums. The Airport Fire Service’s Michael Coates trekked through the Amazon rainforest and raised £10,000; Mace Construction Manager James Kampa collected £16,000 on a gruelling 100-mile walk whilst beating a 45 gallon drum and a BAA supergroup won the battle of the bands event ‘Construction Rocks’, gathering £8,000 in the process.?Even other airport workers helped out.
A team of police officers led by Mark Foskett and Terry Ford cycled from Lands End to John O’Groats and raised £24,000. Passengers also played their part by dropping off their foreign loose change in one of 20 special collecting boxes in the airport’s terminals. Heathrow’s construction partners took part in a golf day and charity ball and raised a whopping £46,000.? ?Steve Dodd, a long time airport employee who organised the ball and golf day said: “I’ve been involved with Heathrow’s charitable initiatives for years now and last year was a fantastic result. Staff really went the extra mile for Help the Heroes last year, some literally. To raise such a huge amount of money is a testament to the extraordinary dedication and generosity of Heathrow’s staff and passengers alike.”? ?
Sarah Walker, Charity of the Year Manager from Help for Heroes, said: “It was great to work with BAA Heathrow in 2010, and to receive £205,000 through the generosity of the airport’s passengers and staff. With the support of BAA, we will be able to help make a real difference to make a real difference to the young men and women wounded in active service”? ?
Macmillan Cancer Support is the 2011 charity of the year, following a vote of Heathrow’s 5,000 staff. The cancer charity has pledged to use any funds to help with projects in the boroughs closest to Heathrow airport. The initiative is a key part of Heathrow’s community investment programme. The partnership will run for the whole of 2011. This is the fourth Charity of the Year partnership that Heathrow has adopted. Over £550,000 has been raised so far for the three previous partnerships – Marie Curie Cancer Care in 2008, Age Concern/Help the Aged in 2009 and Help for Heroes in 2010.
