So as we come to the end of 2018 when thoughts start looking towards 2019, we thought we'd take a moment to look back at just some of the many experiences, initiatives, challenges and achievements made by the company in the community in what has been a quite exceptional year.
It was a year which saw us support a record number of charities and local initiatives, raising considerable sums in the process and, in typical ITRM style, we had great fun doing it - as our staff and followers of our social media platforms would confirm!
We are of course very proud to be the Principal Partners of the Charlton Athletic Community Trust (CACT) and 2018 saw us build on our valued partnership with CACT, which goes far deeper than just seeing our logo on the CACT official training wear and on CACT literature.
Some of the CACT activities undertaken in 2018 include:
- Sponsoring 'Team Addicks'; 31 members of the CACT and Charlton Athletic FC (CAFC) staff, ex-CAFC players and supporters who in June undertook the London to Amsterdam Bike ride in aid of Prostate Cancer UK. Congratulations again to 'Team Addicks' who smashed their target and raised over £35,000 for Prostate Cancer UK.
- Sponsoring CAFC player Lyle Taylor's 'Go Pink' campaign for Cancer Research UK
- Sponsoring an 11-a-side charity football tournament at The Valley (which we won...!)
- Sponsoring the CACT fundraising Dinner at The Valley to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of CAFC's iconic 1998 Play-Off Final victory at Wembley Stadium
- 15 members of staff supported the 'Charlton Upbeats Walk'; the annual fundraising project in aid of CACT's award-winning Down's Syndrome programme.
- 7 members of staff volunteered throughout the year to support CACT staff on various field-trips as part of their ground-breaking Early Intervention Project in association with the Kent & Medway NHS & Social Care Partnership
In addition this year we have:-
- Continued our long-standing support of the Annual Golf Day organised by the Bexley Moorings Project - a charity working in the London Borough of Bexley to provide effective support for vulnerable young people.
- Continued our schools support programme by hosting 5 local students with one or two week work placements
- supported Bexley Council’s Learning, Skills & Employment Board by attending regular meetings and supporting/sharing ideas and suggestions
- Sponsored the 'Outstanding Achievement Award' at this year's London Borough of Bexley 'Looked After Children' awards.
- Organised a Christmas Card social media promotion throughout December to support our local food bank.
- Supported a large number of charities throughout the year by dressing up, making cakes and organising office treasure hunts, including 'Wear It Pink', 'CACT week' 'MacMillan Coffee Morning' and 'Christmas Jumper Day for Save The Children'
It's been quite a year but we're certainly not resting on our laurels. Looking ahead to 2019 we are thrilled and very excited to be partnering with Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice (G&BCH) to further extend our commitment and support in the community. It's a big year for both organisations as in February, ITRM celebrates its 20th anniversary and G&BCH celebrates its 25 year anniversary.
Speaking about the community activities undertaken this year, ITRM Managing Director, Dave White said ‘’I am extremely proud of all of the efforts of our staff this year in support of so many different causes. Once again they have come up with innovative fundraising ideas, they've thrown themselves into so many different volunteering challenges and have fully embraced the community ethos that we place so much importance on at ITRM''.
Dave concluded by saying ‘’as always the challenge for us now is to go one better and to make our charity and community activities in 2019 even more successful than this year. We've got some great ideas already and some exciting initiatives under development - but that's all to come.....on behalf of everyone at ITRM 'We wish you a Merry Christmas....and a Happy New Year'.''