Team Active rallies to support local charities during lockdown

As a firm, Active are proud Patrons of The Middlesbrough & Teesside Philanthropic Foundation (MTPF) and Corporate Partner of The High Tide Foundation.

Such is our drive to give back, that several of our team also work with local charities, including Liza Pontone (Chartered Financial Planner) who is a corporate supporter of My Sister’s Place. The Middlesbrough based charity supports women aged 16 and over who have experienced or are experiencing domestic abuse. Lockdown has meant increased overheads as the charity has had to move to remote working, but they’re also faced with a huge shortfall in income as all fundraising events are postponed and the charity shop is closed temporarily.

To give the charity a much needed financial boost, Liza convinced 22 of her fellow female professionals to take part in a ‘lockdown challenge’ during May. Each of the ladies set their own personal goal (to be completed remotely) including running, bike riding & horse riding – the perfect lockdown distractions! Smashing their original target, the team raised over £2000 for the charity and celebrated with a zoom call to share their experiences.

Verity Stangroom of My Sister’s Place said “We are so grateful for Liza & her army of super heroes! Thank you for showing that the women we help are not alone and our community cares.”

Back in April, MD Karl Pemberton along with friends of Active Nick Waites of CP Waites & Martyn Pullin of FRP Advisory embarked on a fundraising mission to support the North Tees Hospital Charitable Trust with their North Tees Sleep 4 Heroes campaign. The trust made the difficult decision to hire a ‘Vans for Bands’ sleeper bus to enable the amazing NHS staff to rest during their gruelling shifts in the fight against Covid-19. Doctors and nurses were so exhausted from working so many extra hours, they were taking a quick nap on an uncomfortable chair or even on the staff room (or corridor) floor.

At a cost of £500 a day, the luxurious bus (complete with sleeping accommodation) would usually be travelling hundreds of miles across Europe, taking famous artists from city to city to perform to thousands of people, but is now being put to a very different use at North Tees Hospital in Stockton.

“Martyn, Nick and I agreed we had to do something to help this already stretched resource” comments Karl “with our contacts and the power of social media I am thrilled that we have already raised over £5100 for the campaign!”