ShareOne of the many exciting developments since Coast Digital became part of the Elixirr House of Brands has been our involvement with the Elixirr Foundation.
We have always had charity days for staff to use, but the Elixirr Foundation allows us to work with a selected charity partner for an agreed timeframe, from both a fundraising and marketing perspective.
One of the first tasks we were given by the Foundation was to select a charity partner for us to work with over the next 12 months.
Ideally, this needed to be a charity that was local to us here in Colchester, and one that generally fits the Foundation’s pillars: Education, Technology and Entrepreneurship.
We canvased the team to see if there were any causes particularly close to our hearts, and after a few rounds of review, we landed on Disability4Sport.
Disability4Sport (D4S) was set up with the sole purpose of providing more sporting opportunities to disabled people.
We had a few conversations with Abi (one of the founders) and the team at D4S, and it soon became clear that the charity was a perfect fit!
Based on where they were on their journey, we knew we could assist them both from a fundraising perspective, and with staff volunteer days to help support their digital marketing needs.
From a fundraising perspective over the last 6 months, we have held several events across the House of Brands. These range from a wine and cheese night at our offices, to quiz nights and charity auctions at the Christmas party. In total, we raised a staggering £6000 for D4S!
I got to talk to Wayne Banks, Business Development Officer at Disability4Sports about the impact this donation will make. He said:
“Thank you for the kind donation from The Elixirr Foundation. Our Pay It Forward donations go towards our charitable programmes for those who usually cannot afford to join the team.
£20 will pay for a child or vulnerable adult to enjoy weekly activity sessions for 1 month; £120 will pay for a child or vulnerable adult to enjoy weekly activity sessions for 6 months; £240 will pay for a child or vulnerable adult to enjoy weekly activity sessions for 12 months – so your donation will support a number of people in the community”.
We are also talking to Wayne and the team about using some of these funds to support some of their wider activities such as new programs and events.
Stacey Lee-Gregory, one of our Account Managers, and I were lucky enough to go along and join a session and see the team in action. It was amazing to see all the smiling faces and get involved.
It is also worth noting that D4S run fully inclusive activities that promote a level playing field and a positive experience for disabled people. Everyone is welcome to come along and join in with sessions.
It’s safe to say we are all thrilled that this money can support such a fantastic cause, which is making a real impact in the local community.
