Interserve
Interserve is a services, maintenance and building group operating in the public and private sectors in the UK and internationally. They offer advice, design, construction and facilities management services for society's infrastructure and provide a range of plant and equipment in specialist fields.
They work in and around many types of buildings and infrastructure such as hospitals, schools, offices, shopping 
centres, airports, prisons, industrial plant, bridges, waterworks and roads. Interserve has revenue of £1.8 billion and a workforce of 50,000 people worldwide.
After a successful two-year partnership with Shelter, Interserve staff have chosen Help for Heroes as their nominated charity for 2010 and 2011. Adrian Ringrose, Interserve Chief Executive, confirmed:
"By supporting Help for Heroes we hope to be able to make a real difference to the rehabilitation of the wounded and practical direct support for our Armed Forces. And since our staff were instrumental in choosing Help for Heroes, I know that they will work hard individually to raise further funds in addition to what we donate corporately."
Amanda Cardall of Interserve explains more about Interserve's charity work and how they plan to benefit Help for Heroes:
"Interserve believes in contributing to the well-being of the communities in which it operates. We have a programme which operates at different levels: at Group level we select a charity every two years and make an annual donation; we encourage business units to run charitable events, either for the group charity or for another cause that is important to the area or the people involved, and we offer support for employees to undertake sponsored activities."
Interserve staff around the UK have many events planned for 2010 including running, cycling and cake baking!! Staff in the Welsh region held a five-a-side football competition on the 19th March in Cardiff. Staff in the Aldridge office at RMD Kwiform took part in the Colossal Cake Sale on the 12th March, along with National Service Centre staff based in Redditch who are also baking and holding a 'baby photo' competition.
For more information about Interserve, please visit their website: www.interserve.com.
Southampton to Paris by Bike
On the 20th July, a group of eight staff (Justin Elliott, Nick Townley, Sam Teremetz, Garry Donaldson, Mark Lester, Virgillio de Abreu Faria, Bob Lesbirel, Rob Clarke & Chris Seymour as support driver) from Interserve Southampton, set off on a 260 mile cycle ride to Paris in 3 days.
The event was a great success and we are happy to say that all safely arrived in Paris, with just one puncture between them and after enduring 90 mile days in the saddle and a fair bit of rain, the Eiffel tower was a very welcome sight.
We have currently raised £3920 for the Help for Heroes charity and the total is still climbing, so we hope to reach our target of £4000, many thanks to everyone involved and would like to say thank you to all those who have generously donated.
Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge
On 14th May a group of more than a dozen Strategic Projects staff completed the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge in times between 10 and 11 hours. The challenge involved walking approximately 25 miles with 6000 feet of climb including the ascent of Pen-y-Ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough. Photo attached (unfortunately we don't have a photo with everyone on, but this is most of the group).
We have currently raised £3597 for the Help for Heroes charity, with the total still climbing. Anyone wishing to make a donation can do so via our website www.bmycharity.com/StrategicProjects3Peaks.
We are hoping for a better photo-op when we present a "large cheque" (size and total) to HfH at Bloxwich British Legion in the coming months when we have a final total, more info when we do.
Help for Heroes Great Cake Bake
On 13th December 2010 the Group Pensions Department at Interserve Plc in Twyford held a Cake Bake Day to raise funds for H4H. As well as the opportunity to purchase cakes, there was also a raffle with the winning prize being a hand decorated Christmas cake and a bottle of wine.
There was also a guess the name of the snowman cake competition with the winning name being "Coolio". Cake eating continued on 14th December 2010 with the end result that £330 was raised. Thank you to everyone for their kind generosity and support.
Help for Heroes Cricket Match
Colin Stone arranged a cricket match for Help for Heroes. Although the game didn’t take place because of the bad weather he still managed to raise a fantastic £314 selling wrist bands and collecting donations. Colin would also like to thank Jill Small - Customer Services Advisor from Croydon Council - who did a sterling job selling wrist bands from her reception desk in the main entrance of Interserve's HQ.
Wear your Sports Tops to Work Day
On 14th October 2010 staff at RMD Kwikform, part of Interserve Plc, held a ‘Wear your Sports Tops to Work Day’ for Help for Heroes. Everybody that took part paid a £1.00 for the privilege and were then also entered into a prize draw to win an iPod shuffle and five x £10.00 high street shopping vouchers which were all donated.
The team really entered into the spirit of the event – wearing a range of shirts and raised a grand total of £215.00 from this event for H4H.
Welbeck DSFC H4H Fundraising - 9th October 2010
Following the success of last year’s fund raising event, Interserve staff at Webeck – The Defence Sixth Form College arranged “Supper with a Difference” Chef, John Henry cooked the College Students their favourite menu of burger and chips (!) and the Principal gave permission to relax the dress code allowing students and staff to dress as a “Supper Hero”.
It is still a mystery exactly who Chef Henry’s hero is but it’s definitely a female. After supper numerous prizes, including items kindly donated by the English, Irish and South African FA, were raffled and the students were then invited to enter teams for the Rice Krispie Challenge. Despite is event lasting two hours from start to finish a total of over £600 was raised. Thanks to all who gave their time and energy to this event.
Gareth Evans' Bike Ride for H4H
Gareth Evans, a Performance Data Coordinator for Interserve, took part in the Help for Heroes Bridge Too Far Bike Ride in September 2010. Here he tells us how it went:
"My total for the bike ride is currently £3112 in aid of Help for Heroes. (I also raised £120 raised in May in an Interserve South West sponsored bike ride for New Siblands School). I can honestly say that the bike ride was the hardest thing I have ever done. By day 4 my “fuel tank” was empty, and day 5 was a real struggle. But at the same time it was one of the best things I have done.
"It was a real privilege to ride with a number of British and American injured servicemen, many of whom had lost legs and were riding hand bikes. Riding alongside these guys was a stark reminder of why we were there, and helped you push through the pain."
Coast to Coast and Back Again
Max Hall, Building & Civil Engineering Manager for Interserve Facilities Management, wrote to Help for Heroes to tell us about the cycle ride he completed to raise money:
"Saturday morning up and away to get the 6.20am train from Newcastle Central Station to the west coast. It was a nice dry day when I arrived and off I set. Not an hour in and the heavens had opened but, 26 miles in, the weather improved and I could finally take a break sitting in the morning sun. The hills to follow were made more challenging and the accommodation that night could not have come soon enough.
"Day 2 started damp and very misty up on the border hills. As the weather worsened it was knuckle down and head for the lowlands, 4 hours of constant riding and I was following the river tyne through Hexhamshire. The rain was still falling whole water; the legendary rally driver Roger Clarke saying ‘everything I have with me is wet’ (RAC Rally 1977) was running through my mind as the water splodged in my shoes.
"At Prudhoe village I stopped under a canopy to take stock and advise my wife of progress, only problem was my phone had ceased to function and water was running out of the bottom of it, a great time to find the waterproof pocket, on my waterproof jacket, didn’t work. Back in the saddle and 2.5 hours later I hit the coast at Tynemouth.I had 30 seconds to take in the cloudy merky scenery (no ice cream vans around) and then headed for home.
"A total of 173 miles in two days left me with an almost seized left arm and shoulder and lead for legs. Writing this two days later I can say it was well worth it, my shoes have been attached to a warm radiator since I took them off and they may need another week before they dry out if they don’t drop to bits first. I raised around £150, more may still come in and it will automatically make its way to H4H."
HALA Charity Ball
HALA, a division of Interserve, has taken up the challenge of raising money for Help for Heroes and decided to organise a Charity Ball. Most of the directors within the division have been good sports and were prepared to be auctioned to help raise funds; other members of staff have been able to find other things to auction and suppliers have been generous as well.
Linda Brandi and Susan Kuhn have been the main leads on organising the event and have managed to persuade the majority of their colleagues and suppliers to attend and make donations. Events organised to help raise funds prior to the event included bake days in the regional head office in London, raising around £300; the Slough contract have raised sold raffle tickets; dress down days; and a car wash at Slough. Julie Charles from the Croydon contract managed to sell £250 of raffle tickets and persuaded her husband to be the DJ for the evening, and her brother in law to be the photographer. The original target for the night was £5,000, but with the support of staff and suppliers they managed to raise a staggering £15,113.97 through raffles and the auction.
Suppliers who attended the event were BT, IBM, CMS, CLC, Wolseley, Hays and Bowdens. We would like to thank everyone who have supported this event.
Help for Heroes Hero Walk
Vicky Bostock and Clare Kellas from the Group Centre HR team completed the Hero Walk on the 27th June, which was a 26 mile trek across the ancient downlands of Salisbury Plain, walking over the high chalk downs and ridgeways. As luck would have it they also ended up doing this on the hottest day of the summer so far! Needless to say, the day was a challenge but they managed to complete the trek in 8 hours and 39 minutes.
Vicky and Clare were really spurred on by how generously everyone had sponsored them and to date they have raised £1,423 for Help for Heroes. The event was really well organised and the girls would definitely recommend getting involved in any of the challenges that Help for Heroes regularly organise. For more info about H4H challenges, click here.
Interserve Carlisle Golf Day
On Thursday 17th June Interserve Carlisle held its charity golf day for the 5th year running. 13 teams entered the golf day, made up of suppliers and Interserve staff from site. A round of golf was played followed by a meal and to end the evening they held a charity raffle. The day was a great success and £4787.77 has been raised for Help for Heroes. Pictured on the left is Craig Smith, Deputy Estates Manager, and two suppliers from CC Build.
A cheque for the massive amount raised was presented to Help for Heroes County Co-ordinator Barbara Keen by Jeanette Robson, Interserve's Deputy Operations Director and Kerry Brown, who organised the day on behalf of the company.
Kerry Brown told Cumberland News: "A lot of people know people in the Army or have someone in their own families, so it's a good charity to support."
Many thanks to everyone involved in this fantastic achievement; Interserve have now raised over half their £10,000 target and hope to continue their fundraising drive right through.