DS Smith’s Gareth Jenkins presents the cheques to the official charities Cancer Research UK and Heart Research UK
Sponsored cyclists from DS Smith have hit a £100,000 charity target, after a major fundraising push from the packaging firm across 12 of its UK sites.
Over 10 days in September a group of managing directors from DS Smith, led by sector director Gareth Jenkins, cycled a route of more than 900 miles from Livingston in Scotland to Launceston in Cornwall, visiting a number of factory sites along the route as they raised vital funds for Cancer Research UK and Heart Research UK.
As well as the national sponsored bike ride a range of fundraising activity took place locally in each of the DS Smith sites along the route, contributing to the £100,000 target. CEO Miles Roberts and business development director Gary Saunders also joined the group for a leg of the challenge.
Miles Roberts, chief executive, who took part in one of the stages of the ride, said, ‘This is a fantastic achievement and to do something that takes us between so many of our sites demonstrates really well how important the business felt this initiative was. It is very much in keeping with our approach as community-based engagement with the public and employees is central to our values as a company.’
Gareth Jenkins, sector director, added, ‘Of course we’re extremely pleased to have met our fundraising target, which was a real team effort from start to finish. Despite the fact it rained every day we all stayed in good spirits along the cycle route and really encouraged each other. The support from the back-up team was invaluable as well, it wouldn’t have happened without all of that support.
‘But also the sheer number of people, DS Smith employees and general public, who turned out at each of the sites was a real credit to the company as a whole and really helped with the fundraising.
‘People up and down the country put in a massive effort throughout September and it’s thanks to them, and the suppliers and customers which sponsored us, that we’ve managed to reach this important fundraising target.’
From Livingston the route took in Lockerbie, Featherstone, Clay Cross, Belper, Louth, Fordham, Ely, Blunham, Devizes and Bristol with the finishing line at Launceston. Funds are still coming in from each of the sites such as Belper, which raised more than £12,000, so the final national total is expected to exceed £100,000.
Gareth Jenkins added, ‘At DS Smith Packaging we are passionate about ‘making ideas happen’ and this is an example of an idea that started small but has grown into a nationwide fundraising tour involving hundreds of people and employees, impacting the whole business.
‘We feel this is an important part of our general approach to supporting our communities with fundraising activities which are inclusive and effective’
Barbara Harpham, national director of Heart Research UK, said, ‘Knowing that each mile raised over £110 and that their local bases were all well and truly behind them must have been a big incentive to carry on for 900 miles.
‘Heart Research UK met a lot of the fundraisers along the way and now, we’re going to make sure the money they raised locally will be spent locally. Our pioneering medical research and Healthy Heart activities will be helping hearts near them.’
