A local charity is appealing to businesses from across Greater Manchester to take on a very special challenge this February, to help it celebrate its milestone 50 year anniversary. 

The St Ann’s Hospice ‘Move, Eat, Play, Give’ challenge gives businesses a flexible, bespoke way to show their support of the charity, whilst staying safe and adhering to Government guidance. 

Rachel McMillan, Chief Executive of the hospice, said:

“We’re one of the only hospices in the UK to reach this 50thanniversary milestone, and we’ve only managed to do so thanks to the amazing half a century of support from communities across Greater Manchester and beyond.  

“That includes local businesses, and we’d love any who have supported us over the last 50 years, or who would like to be involved as we celebrate through 2021 to get in touch. 

“Our corporate challenge will take place throughout February, and it’s been developed so that teams from businesses in the area can choose activities which best suit them, whilst also keeping within government guidelines and remaining safe. 

“We know that 2020 was a difficult year for corporates, as it was for the hospice too, but we’re hoping that this will be a great opportunity for us all to come together and do something positive and uplifting for local patients and their families – it will hopefully be a helpful way to boost team morale too, especially if teams are working more remotely due to lockdown.” 

The ‘Move, Eat, Play, Give’ challenge offers businesses the ability to choose activities from any of the four categories, tailoring activity to suit their own circumstances, needs and resources. Whether that’s a physical challenge to walk three miles a day as part of daily lockdown exercise (the equivalent of the distance that a hospice nurse walks in an average shift on the wards), holding a virtual quiz night, or collecting clothes to donate to one of the hospice shopswhen they reopen, there are a huge variety of ways that teams can choose to join in. 

Businesses will have the whole month of February to take part, and the business or employee that raises the most money will also receive a prize. 

Rachel McMillan added:

“As a charity, we need to fundraise £20,000 a day to keep our services running and we’d be hugely grateful to any business who chooses to take part in this challenge for St Ann’s.  

“We hope that by enabling organisations to choose their own itinerary and ways to support us, it will mean that they can take advantage of the flexibility, whilst also helping us to continue caring for people in their local community. Huge thanks in advance to anyone considering getting involved.” 

St Ann’s is one of the oldest and largest hospices in the UK, and is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. It cares for local people affected by life-limiting illnesses from its three sites in Heald Green, Little Hulton, and The Neil CliffeCentre in Wythenshawe Hospital, as well as via a range of community and outreach services. 

The hospice is also asking any business who might be able to consider St Ann’s as its charity of the year for 2021 to get in touch on 0161 498 3631. 

For more information on the ‘Move, Eat, Play, Give’ challenge, please visit www.sah.org.uk/corporatechallenge