Maidenhead Office Supports Charities in Call-Out Day

SAP Concur employees have been volunteering daily around the globe in many ways, from food banks to schools and animal shelters to donation drives, all employees have been thrilled to use their quarterly eight hours of Concur Cares Days for causes of their own passions and interests.

In addition to this volunteer work, our Maidenhead office recently held a ‘Charity Call out Morning’. The morning involved all employees earning money for donations to a charity of their choice for achieving goals that were set for the day. All employees had the option to put forward a charity of their choice and we pulled three out of a hat, making those the three that employees could donate to. The three that were selected for this occasion were:

Launchpad who were put forward by Jamie Butler, Regional Sales Representative. Launchpad is a charity that helps some of Reading’s most vulnerable and disadvantaged people to turn their lives around and fulfil their potential. Jamie says ‘Launchpad is a charity close to my heart as homelessness in all it’s different forms is sadly on the rise, particularly in my hometown Reading. What’s often not appreciated is how indiscriminate homelessness can be, the sad fact is that for many people, including young families, they’re now living so “hand to mouth” that they’re one or two pay cheques away from being homeless.

The work that Launchpad do to not only help homeless people, but also to help those people who suffer from addiction or mental health challenges, is admirable. They offer a broad range of services, even helping people with numeracy and literacy, IT skills, managing mental health and job searches.’

The Christie Charity who were put forward by Bijan Matin, one of our Market Development Representatives. The Christie Charity are leading experts in cancer care, research and education, based in Manchester. Bijan says ‘When the option came up to choose a charity to support, the Christie Charity came straight to mind. Around five years ago my uncle was diagnosed with Lymphoma, and underwent treatment at the Christie Centre in Manchester.

During this time, my family saw the benefits of this charity, everything from supporting leading research to help treat cancer in all its forms, the technology used in treatment through to the support provided by the staff at the centre during treatment.

The centre is looking to become a top five cancer centre globally, taking in people from all over the UK, often travelling hours to get there in the knowledge they are in safe hands. This can only be achieved with the ongoing support from fundraising and spreading awareness, so I was thrilled at the opportunity to assist with this goal.’

Dogs Trust who were put forward by Jack Blackmore, one of our Regional Sales Representatives. Dogs Trust is the UK’s largest dog welfare charity and cares for over 15,000 dogs each year through its network of 20 rehoming centres in the UK. Jack says ‘Dogs Trust is a well-known charity which many employees already support in one way or another, with some adopting dogs, others donating to the charity directly and many volunteering on weekends. For me, dogs have always played a part in our family life, and knowing how much joy and companionship they can bring to a home makes me appreciate the work that Dogs Trust do even more. In my opinion, sponsoring this charity and the fantastic work they do as part of our Charity Call Out Morning was the perfect opportunity to spread the word and raise some funds for a worthy cause...plus I love dogs!.'

The Charity Call out Morning was a tremendous success and created a fun and lively atmosphere in the office enjoyed by all employees. In total the morning managed to raise an impressive £570 followed by a celebratory pizza!