The Maidstone office of leading air conditioning installation specialist Coolair Equipment Ltd has been celebrating the company’s success in scooping a national award for fundraising.
Staff at the company’s Southern office at Ashford Road helped Coolair to raise no less than £90,000 from a year-long campaign for Challenge Cancer UK which included taking part in a 300-mile cycle ride through South East Asia.
The company presented Coolair with its first-ever Outstanding Contribution Award in appreciation of the biggest donation from any business it had ever worked with.
Director Neil Gibbard, who organised the campaign, received the glass star trophy from Challenge Cancer UK Founder Mark Roberts on behalf of the company. He was also made a Corporate Ambassador for the charity.
Coolair teamed up with one of its biggest suppliers and business partners, Mitsubishi Electric Air Conditioning Systems, to recruit and lead a team of 18 staff from its offices in Maidstone, the Midlands and Manchester, along with customers, on an epic six-day bike ride from Saigon in Vietnam to Angkor Wat in Cambodia.
Alongside Managing Director John Otterson, Coolair organised a charity ball with Mark Roberts as guest speaker and a sporting dinner in the company of former England footballer Paul Merson, as well as fundraising activities ranging from cake sales to golf days.
Coolair staff chose Challenge Cancer UK as the adopted charity for their 35th anniversary year after they were moved to learn that it distributes its funds to cancer charities throughout the journey of cancer from awareness and prevention to research and respite.
Neil Gibbard said: “It was an honour to receive this prestigious award on behalf of Coolair and to have been appointed a corporate ambassador for Challenge Cancer UK.”
John Otterson added: “I was very proud of our staff who in only 12 months achieved this amazing sum which was way beyond our expectations. Coolair is look forward to continuing to represent, support and raise funds for such a deserving charity.”
Mark Roberts commented: “Neil, John and their team at Coolair, along with their staff and customers, have been fantastic throughout our year of association and the huge amount of money they raised will go a long way to making a real difference to the lives of others.”
Challenge Cancer UK raises funds for cancer awareness, prevention and research, as well as patient treatment care and support for those affected by cancer. The Manchester-based charity can be reached at www.challengecanceruk.org (Tel: 0161 771 2040).