Scott Richards hold a charity dress down day, which is usually on the last working Friday of each month. This is sometimes replaced by a different event. For example, each year in September we hold a coffee and cake morning in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support and in November we support Children in Need (see separate news items). We have been holding these charity dress down days since April 2017 – some of the most recent charities we have supported are detailed below.
RNLI
For January, February and March 2020, we will be raising funds for the local RNLI. The aim of the RNLI is to save lives at sea. The Teignmouth Lifeboat the “Two Annes” and the Lifeguards keep our river, beach and coastal area safe. Teignmouth lifeboat volunteers carry out around 40 rescues every year. You can read more about the work that they do here.
Homeless in Teignbridge Support (HITS)
Throughout December 2019, we supported the charity HITS again. Please see the separate HITS 2019 news article. Further details about HITS can be found at: http://hitsfoodbank.org/
Alzheimer’s Research
For August and October 2019, our dress down day was in support of the #sharetheorange campaign in aid of Alzheimer’s Research. You may have seen this campaign on social media, where celebrities are photographed holding an orange, representing the physical brain mass lost in a person suffering from Alzheimer’s.
On Friday 18th October, we invited our staff to make their dress down donation, and have their photo taken with an orange. We wanted to to help spread awareness that ‘dementia is a physical disease and through research, diseases can be slowed/stopped’. You can read more here.
Scotty’s Travels
This is our very own charity, aimed at raising funds to send a local child in need and their family on holiday. If you are going away, pop into our office and ask for Scotty to take with you! For every new holiday destination Scotty reaches, we will make a donation into our Scotty’s Holiday Fund. Read more and see some pictures of his travels here. We raised funds for Scotty’s travels during April, June and July.
Bring your dog to work day
On Friday 21st June, we supported national Bring Your Dog to Work day (visit their website here for more details). We dressed down and raised money in support of the local Dogs Trust. We raised a total of £50.00.
Three Alpine Peaks in Three Days
For May, we supported Paul Bettesworth from Bettesworths Estate Agents in his bid to summit Three Alpine Peaks in Three days – one in each of France, Switzerland & Italy, each over twice the height of Ben Nevis.
Paul did his climb to raise money for Restart Rugby – a charity dedicated to supporting players suffering from serious injury, illness or hardship. You can link to Paul’s fundraising page here.
Alice Cross Centre
We supported the Alice Cross Centre in Teignmouth for January, February and March 2019 – see the presentation here. The Alice Cross Centre aims to bring people together to provide friendship, a good lunch and a helping hand. It has a range of activities and services for everyone to enjoy. We also supported the Alice Cross Centre in December 2018 and 2019 – read the articles here and here. Further details about the Centre can be found at http://thealicecross.co.uk/
Homeless in Teignbridge Support (HITS)
We supported the charity HITS throughout the month of December. HITS are a local charity that works with homeless people and those in crisis and need throughout Teignbridge. The people that they have helped include those who are homeless, victims of domestic violence, ex-service personnel, the elderly, families in poverty, disabled people, ex-offenders and many others. Please see the separate article here.
Further details can be found at: http://hitsfoodbank.org/
The Sea Cadets
For July, August and October 2018, we supported The Sea Cadets. Sea Cadets is different from school. There’s a lot of learning. But it’s done through activities – on the water, on land and in the unit – and their volunteers leading by example. Further details can be found at https://www.sea-cadets.org/about
Helen Foundation
During April, May and June 2018, we supported The Helen Foundation. By providing prizes in schools, subsidised arts-based workshops and bursaries, The Helen Foundation encourages and supports young people to develop their talents and pursue their ambitions. Further details can be found at http://thehelenfoundation.org.uk/
Torbay Holiday Helpers Network
We were delighted to be able to present Brian Lewis (pictured centre) of Torbay Holiday Helpers Network with a cheque for £185.00 from donations raised in the previous quarter of dress down days. THHN gives families with serious illness and bereavement memory making holidays. Further details can be found at https://www.thhn.co.uk/