Lombard adopted Sense as their charity of the year from April 2010 to March 2011. As part of the partnership Lombard employees have taken part in Battleshops, the Three Peaks Challenge, The Ridgewalk and the Sense in the City Quiz. They have also organised a golf day and samosa sales in the office. The executive board also undertook a team challenge of building benches at a Sense project.
‘The Apprentice’ style competition called Battleshops 2010 involved over 140 employees taking over twenty Sense shops across the country. They were challenged with stocking the shops and using their initiative and customer service skills to make the largest profit.In Lombard’s largest ever CSR event they competed against each other to raise a staggering £68,000
Lombard employees were excited to be involved in such a unique event as Battleshops. The event showed off their entrepreneurial talents. I was taken aback by the team’s outstanding efforts and ideas for raising monies for this very worthwhile cause.
Craig Allington, Director of Asset Finance
On 2 October, 31 Lombard employees took on the challenge of climbing the three highest peaks in Britain (Ben Nevis in Scotland, Scafell Pike in England and Mount Snowdon in Wales) in 24 hours to raise £30,000 for Sense. This challenge which involved 10,000 feet of climbing and 25 miles of walking really tested Lombard’s commitment especially as it was combined with torrential winds and non stop rain.
The executive team undertook a unique fundraising exercise at the Garden Room in Birmingham.The Garden Room provides two fully accessible and adapted workshops for instruction and training in woodwork, pottery, and ceramics where garden furniture is made by deafblind people and sold. Lombard’s executive team were challenged to build garden benches. They rose to the challenge and also raised £4000 by raffling the benches to colleagues and associates.
Whilst we help raise funds for the vital services Sense provide deafblind people, supporting them also offers our staff new challenges outside their comfort zones and the opportunity to develop themselves. It's tremendous that we are able to support Sense, but it is very much a two way relationship and Lombard employees also get a great deal out of working together.
Shane Thomas, Chairman of the Lombard Corporate Social Responsibility Board
Lombard’s Charity of the Year partnership with Sense has raised over £130,000. This will make a huge difference to the lives of deafblind people and their families. We are very grateful for Lombard’s support and are proud to have been their Charity of the Year for 2010/2011.
