Starting Lifesaving Journeys Prostate Cancer UK and Firstgroup Plc Charity of Choice 2015-2018 Impact Report
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Starting lifesaving journeys Prostate Cancer UK and FirstGroup plc Charity of Choice 2015-2018 Impact Report 5040 First Group Impact Report-Cover options.indd 2 09/03/2018 12:09 Thank you for delivering lifesaving journeys To everyone at FirstGroup, We have been blown away with the energy and enthusiasm that you all have brought to our partnership in the last three years. Not only have you beaten your fundraising target, you have raised an incredible amount of awareness that has allowed us to reach more men than we ever could alone, and ultimately, save more lives. I meet people nearly every day who have been affected by prostate cancer. Over the last three years, it has been a pleasure to explain to men and their families that our pocket guides – full of vital information – have been generously supported by our partner FirstGroup. These guides get conversations started, and get people talking about their health. They have helped millions of men, like Joey and Gary mentioned in this report, start their lifesaving journeys and get the information they need. I hope you read this report with great pride knowing that it is your support, your dedication and your hard work that has helped us to reach more men. I want to thank you all personally and hope you can remain close to us on the journey to reaching our goal – a world where men and their families no longer fear prostate cancer. Angela Culhane Chief Executive Prostate Cancer UK Introductions In 2014, FirstGroup employees voted for Our partnership aimed to start lifesaving journeys Prostate Cancer UK as their charity of choice for for FirstGroup’s employees, customers and the a three-year partnership (April 2015 – March 2018), wider community. Prostate cancer remains the most with the ambition of raising £1 million in fundraising, common cancer facing men, and the impact corporate donations and the commercial value of a diagnosis affects an entire family. We wanted of Gift in Kind advertising to support men with to ensure that all FirstGroup’s stakeholders prostate cancer and those close to them. understood their risk of prostate cancer, had greater awareness of the disease and had greater awareness of our services. The purpose of this report is to summarise the key It’s an incredible achievement, achievements of our partnership, through funds raised, awareness heightened, and lives impacted. thank you. All figures relate to the period from 1 April 2015 to Kate Broome, Director of Corporate Responsibility the end of January 2018, with two months of the partnership remaining. Over the course of the partnership, employee- fundraising and company donations have funded the production of one million ‘Know your prostate’ pocket guides and ensured more men have THE IMPACT access to this vital health message. FirstGroup has also donated hugely valuable advertising space • £1.5 million donated. throughout their bus and rail networks across the UK to promote Prostate Cancer UK’s health • More than one million pocket awareness campaigns and the support available from the charity. The partnership has exceeded guides produced. all expectations due to the commitment and generosity of everyone connected to FirstGroup – • Thousands of pounds worth of and has achieved a partnership value of more advertisement space donated. than £1.5 million since April 2015. Partnership aims and objectives The partnership set out to achieve three broad aims: Aim Objective Outcome 1 To increase awareness of For Prostate Cancer UK 46 health awareness talks prostate cancer amongst to deliver 50 awareness were delivered over the course employees and customers. talks to employees across of the partnership. FirstGroup. 2 To fund the production of one For FirstGroup to raise at Employee fundraisers and company million ‘Know Your Prostate’ least £220,000 in cash donations helped to raise over pocket leaflets. to help fund one million £350,000 in cash. pocket guides. 3 To achieve a partnership For FirstGroup to give Our total partnership value now value of £1 million over three more than £1m worth of exceeds £1.5 million, generated years for men affected by value to the charity over from employee-raised funds, prostate cancer, and their three years. company donations, and the partners and families, through commercial value of gifts-in-kind. employee events, collections and the commercial value of gifts in kind. For FirstGroup to match at More than £18,000 has been least £30,000 of employee donated to Prostate Cancer UK fundraising via its Matched through FirstGroup employee Funding scheme. matched funding since April 2015. Raising money Over the course of the three years, FirstGroup colleagues have taken part in a variety of fundraising events to help beat prostate cancer once and for all. Funds have been raised through charity quizzes, cycle rides, sponsored runs, collections and cake sales across FirstGroup’s bus and rail operations. Scotland South East The ‘First Mountain Men’ based at First Glasgow’s Colleagues from FirstGroup’s London office Blantyre depot took on the challenge of climbing Ben joined Prostate Cancer UK volunteers in Nevis. The team of seven completed the demanding September 2017 to collect funds and raise challenge in 12 hours and raised £4,400. awareness amongst customers travelling through Paddington Station. The team raised £500 through Colleagues in the Aberdeen offices and at First this station bucket collection. Glasgow have hosted numerous Brew and Bake events over the last three years. Glasgow’s Caledonia East of England depot holds the record for most raised from a single Brew and Bake sale – more than £700. The Punks of First Bus helped raise awareness by producing a punk-cover of The Wheels on the North East Bus. The rockers from First Eastern Counties helped raise vital awareness and funds locally to First York took on a courageous cycling challenge support our work. in May 2016 when a team of 23 colleagues took on the ‘Coast to Coast’. The team cycled for over three First Ipswich helped raise awareness and funds days from Blackpool to Scarborough – covering through their Pedal for Prostate Cancer UK event 170 miles and raising an incredible £7,680. in 2015. The team, of 45 colleagues, cycled non-stop for 24 hours and raised over £1,500. North West Colleagues at Transpennine Express took part in a Wales range of fundraising activities including collections More than 70 riders took part in First Cymru’s on-board trains and at rail stations. Many also joined community cycle ride in June 2016. The event Jeff Stelling’s March for Men as he walked from was supported by local depots, friends, and family, Burnley to Huddersfield. helping to raise over £1,500. Huddersfield local-hero Felix the Cat has also joined the fight against prostate cancer by generously donating almost £35,000 of royalties through the sale of her book, Felix The Railway Cat. Nineteen ‘Rail Riders’ from Transpennine Express cycled from Leeds to Manchester as part of Challenge Cancer 2015. South West FirstGroup graduates encouraged 20 colleagues, family members and friends of Great Western Railway to take part in the Bath Half Marathon in March 2017 raising an incredible £8,200. How much money has been raised? Employee-raised funds and corporate Payroll Giving donations (incl. match funding) April 2015 – March 2016 £145,173 £1,184 April 2016 – March 2017 £94,329 £3,705 April 2017 – February 2018 £115,857 £2,738 Total £355,359 £7,627 How we made it happen It’s been incredible to see the passion and creativity of FirstGroup colleagues getting behind Prostate Cancer UK. Employees in all areas of the business have supported our work by hosting depot and station Open Days, raising funds in offices, stations and depots, donating via Payroll Giving and encouraging customer donations. Colleagues have taken on ultra-physical challenges as well as taking part in treks, cycles and runs. Brew and Bake Once again proving that cake is the way to a person’s heart, our Brew and Bake events helped to Brew and Bake gets everyone bring people together and get behind the fundraising cause. Events were organised at corporate offices, involved – it brings office staff, and at Great Western Railway, Hull Trains and TransPennine Express, and First Bus depots across drivers and engineers together. the country from Aberdeen to Swansea and Essex. Jean Fraser, from First Glasgow’s Caledonia depot who raised more than £650 at the Halloween Since the launch of the partnership, hundreds of Brew and Bake event. FirstGroup colleagues have taken part in a Brew and Bake in aid of Prostate Cancer UK. In 2017, the introduction of themed events helped to raise more than £5,000 alone. A Valentine’s Day Brew and Bake and a Halloween special maintained momentum with hungry employees, all whilst raising vital funds to beat the most common cancer amongst men. Brew and Bake was promoted to all UK employees, with toolkits including posters, cake labels, bunting and selfie squares for promoting the event on social media. First Bradford swapped buses for buns in February 2017 and raised £600. Graduate Challenge Each year of the partnership, new FirstGroup Jade Watson took part in the graduates were set a challenge as part of their Graduate Challenge which learning and development programme. The graduate “encouraged me to step teams were tasked to come up with a plan of action outside of my comfort zone to raise funds and awareness, collaborating with and approach people from colleagues across the country and raising as much various aspects of the cash as possible over a six-month period. business. The Challenge allowed me to develop The 2016 intake of Graduates took on the Bath Half my team work and project marathon, organised collections on-board buses planning skills, whilst and trains, and held a charity football tournament at doing something fantastic Huddersfield Town FC’s John Smith’s Stadium.