A group of employees from online retail giant AO have raised more than £2,500 for Crewe-based charity Cheshire Buddies.
Cheshire Buddies supports children and young people with disabilities through regular activity groups, including after-school clubs, weekend and holiday activities, and residential breaks.
Throughout the past few months, members of AO’s legal, audit and risk teams joined forces to lend their support to the charity. They volunteered their time to help with canoeing and football sessions, and even planted flowers at Crewe railway station, ahead of Cheshire Buddies’ 20th anniversary celebration.
A group of 11 recently completed a sponsored six-hour walk up The Old Man of Coniston, in Cumbria, which raised £2,560 – following a fundraising boost by AO’s charitable arm, the AO Smile Foundation.
Mike Williams, director of group audit and risk at AO, said: “Cheshire Buddies do some great work with kids and young adults with disabilities in Crewe and make a real difference to the quality of life to the kids, their parents/guardians and wider family.
They had a really challenging, varied, and rewarding programme of summer events and it enabled our legal, audit and risk team to apply ourselves and help in different ways. Those who like sports and outdoor pursuits assisted on football, kayaking and the sponsored walk, and others lent a hand with the art installation and planting.
We’ve met some amazing people throughout the course of our fundraising and we’re very proud to have been able to support such a worthy cause.”
Louise Williams, project manager at Cheshire Buddies, added: “We’re so thankful to the amazing team from AO for their generosity and dedication over the past few months.
The funds raised will enable us to continue offering valuable activities and support for children with disabilities, while creating more opportunities for fun, friendship, and growth.”