TESTIMONIAL
“The challenge and the training leading up to it was a huge success with a number of people achieving something they thought impossible at the outset. I was delighted with how the day went, thanks to the planning, organisation and enthusiasm from 12 Degrees. The teams looked relaxed and professional as they rowed down the river – to my untrained eye of course!” Matthew Donaldson, Chief Executive Officer, BGL Group
In 12 Degrees were excited to be asked back to devise and develop an innovative charity challenge for the BGL Group to take place in the spring of 2014. The charity challenge would form part of the BGL Group’s target to donate three million pounds to worthwhile causes by 2017, with an overarching theme to ‘Reduce Poverty and Create Prosperity’.
“Fundraising is a hugely important part of life at BGL. We like it because it unites people from our different teams and brands and enables them to do something amazing together.” (from BGL website)
The Brief
To create an event that :
- Promoted team bonding and employee wellbeing
- Would maximise fundraising potential – aim to raise £30,000 for their designated charity
- Fulfilled their CSR goals
- Had a fun atmosphere
- One that non-participating colleagues could engage in, follow and support
- Families and friends able to support them on the day
Solution
12 Degrees came up with the winning Charity Rowing Challenge concept for the Executive Board and 38 selected employees to row in four man teams a 66 km stretch of the River Thames in a single day.
- Planned and delivered a training schedule for the rowers
- Secured Carla Devlin, former Beijing Olympic rower to act as coach and mentor throughout the challenge.
- Sourced professional rowers as cox’s for each leg
- Risk Assessment and Safety Procedures
- Planned the route and itinerary
- Pre event route and safety briefing
- Provided support vessel, shore crew and transport
- Sourced and booked venue for end of event BBQ
The Outcome
The BGL Challenge took place on Saturday 26 April 2014, an 11-hour journey, which would take the rowers past famous landmarks including Hampton Court Palace, Windsor Castle and Kew Gardens. Challengers took turns to row and negotiate locks, in a four man coxed boat cheered on by families and friends along the route and from the support vessel.
Conditions on the day were challenging, due to heavy rainfall in the days running up to the event and the Thames had risen seven inches overnight, this also caused a few of the sections to be quite choppy. The rowers took the conditions completely in their stride armed with the confidence gained from the training. The sun came out and the team crossed the finish line in Putney, ahead of time where they celebrated their amazing achievement with a BBQ at the London Rowing Club.
12 Degrees were so proud of the rowers who were all novices, this was a huge personal and team challenge which involved a lot of commitment on their part. After the months of training and the day itself their perseverance and hard work certainly paid off in the end with an extra £10,000 raised for charity ahead of their original target of £30,000 – an achievement they will never forget and we had the pleasure and honour to be part of.
