ChariTEES
Meet six of the best in our region
CHARITY
A charity that ’ s just a dream
A Teesside-based national charity is celebrating 10 years of operating by fast approaching the £ 4m fundraising mark to fight homelessness and poverty across England and Wales .
CEO Sleepout asks business executives to give up their comfy beds for a sponsored night in the cold .
Since the very first one in 2013 – held at Middlesbrough Football Club ’ s Riverside Stadium – more than £ 3.8m has been raised to fight homelessness and poverty across the country , including more than £ 300,000 on Teesside , for Teessiders .
Events , which have to date raised more than £ 3.8m , have been held at venues across the country , including London , Birmingham , Manchester , Nottingham , Leicester , Bristol , Oxford , Sunderland and Kent .
More than 5,000 people have taken part in CEO Sleepout events and over 100 charities have received grants – changing countless lives as a result .
Former Middlesbrough mayor Andy Preston came up with the idea to launch the charity , which quickly gained support from business communities across the country .
The charity ’ s 10th anniversary was celebrated back where it all began , at the Riverside , when a group of Teesside businesspeople braved the cold to spend a night outside to raise vital funds and awareness of homelessness .
A total of 75 people – including the team behind This Is Tees Valley - took part in the sleepout , raising a combined £ 65,000 .
Chief executive of the charity Bianca Robinson said : “ It ’ s amazing to see how willing the Teesside community is as a collective to get behind this very important cause and show real , tangible support for some of the most marginalised people in our area , and those who need the most help .
“ I ’ m so proud of the Teesside business community for sleeping out and supporting our charity , especially considering many business people are facing their own challenges with soaring costs .
Members of the This is Tees Valley team took part in the 10th anniversary CEO Sleepout .
“ With the cost of living continuing to rise , people across the country are struggling to survive ; skipping meals so their children can eat and going without heating on the coldest of days , which is why getting involved in CEO Sleepout events is so important .”
This year ’ s CEO Sleepout Teesside was held in partnership with the Teesside Charity and the MFC Foundation .
Check out ceosleepout . co . uk for an event near you .
Changing perceptions
WORDS : DAVE ROBSON PICTURES : DAVID WOOD
A Teesside-based charity is marking its 20th birthday with a bold new brand , a UK-first ‘ megastore ’, the most successful ball in its history and an appeal for businesses to back its mission .
Offering state-of-the-art facilities and a therapeutic farm , Daisy Chain has a variety of specialist provisions and supports over 5,000 neurodiverse individuals and their families , including those who are autistic or have ADHD and Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder .
Such an innovative range of services doesn ’ t come without a cost – the cost-ofliving crisis has bumped up annual running costs by around £ 200,000 . Demand is unprecedented , particularly for complex cases and adult support .
CEO Neeraj Sharma says there are many ways Teesside ’ s business community can show its support for Daisy Chain and , in turn , reap benefits of their own by bolstering their workforce .
Celebrations - Daisy Chain marked its 20th birthday with a fantastic ball .
He told This Is Tees Valley : “ Autistic children and adults are among the most marginalised groups within society . Autistic adults have the highest unemployment than any other disability group , yet our employability team has some of the best outcomes when it comes to supporting people into work .
“ This group of people have many aspirations and huge amounts of talent but are being locked out of opportunities . This shouldn ’ t be the norm – we need to address
the barriers they ’ re facing .
“ In the region , we have businesses grappling with filling empty vacancies but there is a pool of talent wanting to work . At Daisy Chain , we work with the neurodivergent person and the employer to get the best outcomes , support in making the workplace inclusive , and make sure employee needs are met .”
He added : “ A lot of businesses assume that fundraising is a massive part of a relationship with a charity , but there are so many different ways you can work with us . For example , you could offer a work placement or host an industry tour .
“ We ’ re asking businesses to think differently . But if you think you know Daisy Chain , think again . Get in touch , find out how you can get involved and together we can create a world that is more inclusive and accepting for every kind of mind .”
Visit daisychainproject . co . uk or email Neeraj . sharma @ daisychainproject . co . uk
79