MICE industry charity, Meeting Needs, is calling for businesses from the sector to take part in its first ever Softball Summer Slam and help it raise £30,000 for disadvantaged and disabled young people. Charity chair Jennifer Jenkins explains:
The Softball Summer Slam tournament will take place on Wednesday 4 July at Old Deer Park Sports Ground in Richmond. Businesses and agencies can participate by providing teams or sponsorship, and Meeting Needs aims to raise enough money to purchase a specially adapted minibus for Strathmore School in Richmond, London.
This event is all about coming together and having fun, something the meetings industry does very well. It’s going to be a great day, and a chance to spend time with industry colleagues, entertain clients, meet people and create new business opportunities. You’ll also be competing to win the very first Softball Summer Slam Championship Cup.
Importantly, this initiative allows us to support local charity Strathmore School in a very specific way. This minibus will help them take learning out of the school environment and allow the pupils access to sights and attractions that they might not otherwise get the chance to experience.
Meeting Needs is supporting this event in association with the Lord’s Taverners, the cricket and disability sports charity dedicated to giving young people a sporting chance.
Mervyn Ramsay of Lord’s Taverners, says: “Our aim is to create as many opportunities as possible for young people from deprived areas and those with disabilities to engage in sport and recreation in their local communities. In 2017 alone, we donated 43 minibuses, installed 42 sensory and play equipment facilities and provided almost 4,000 coaching sessions across both of our disability cricket programmes. The Strathmore School minibus will be particularly important because it will be available for the wider local community to use during the school holidays, so that it benefits as many people as possible.”
Meeting Needs raises funds for worthy causes relevant to the events industry and celebrated reaching £1m in donations in 2017.
Strathmore School is Richmond’s special day school for learners with complex learning difficulties.
To become a founding member of this event, contact Anthony Lishman on 01386 852563, alishman@meetingneeds.org.uk or visitwww.meetingneeds.org.uk
