Proudly continuing to support Aware NI and CRS
On Friday 2nd of February, we had the great pleasure of welcoming our esteemed charity partners Aware NI and Community Rescue Service back to Macnaughton Blair to present them with our latest charity contributions.
Aware NI
AWARE is the Depression Charity for Northern Ireland and the only charity working exclusively for those with depression and bipolar disorder.
AWARE has an established network of 23 support groups in rural and urban areas across the country, which are run by their trained volunteers. Support groups welcome people with depression and bipolar disorder as well as carers for people with the illness.
Community Rescue Service
The Community Rescue Service are a Charitable Search & Rescue Organisation operated by volunteers from communities across Northern Ireland.
They provide all aspects of search and rescue falling under the remit of Lowland Rescue including ground, inland water, bike, boat and more.
Engagement is the key
As our joint partnership continues into another year, awareness of the charity’s work is high across the group, resulting in a significant increase in signups for activities, compared to 2022. A record numbers of colleagues came together to take on three challenges during the latter part of 2023, raising a remarkable £35,000 to support the invaluable work carried out by Aware NI and Community Rescue Service.
Last August, colleagues from across our brands MacBlair, Watershed, Doorways, Wood Floor Warehouse, P. McDermott & Sons and B. McNamee & Co. got back in the saddle to take the annual MacBlair Charity Cycle. With 2 new branches to cover, it was even bigger than the previous year. The cycle saw two brave colleagues, Alex & Phil, take on a gruelling 330 mile ride, covering 21 branches in 4 days, with relay teams to support them along the way. Through their amazing efforts, a remarkable sum of £23,000 was raised.
Additionally, in October, our determined participants undertook the second Golf Day Challenge. It was Team Aware NI versus Team Community Rescue Service, battling it out on the lush greens of The Royal Belfast Golf Club. It wasn’t an easy fight by any means, and the windy and rainy weather didn’t help. But the commitment paid off, as two teams of true golf enthusiasts successfully raised £6,000.
But our charitable endeavours didn’t end there! During the Christmas Family Fun Day our dedicated colleagues took part in a Tug of War challenge, raising a phenomenal £6,000 for these two deserving charities.
A huge shout-out to each one of you
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has contributed and supported our teams throughout these challenges. Your unwavering support plays a significant role in assisting these charities as they carry out their extraordinary work fostering a happier and healthier world for all of us. We couldn’t be more delighted to support their causes!