The Leeds Mencap’s corporate charity challenge 2015 comes to aql headquarters

The Leeds Mencap Apprentice Challenge is about bringing businesses and community groups together to support local people with learning disabilities, along with families and carers. This year’s celebratory event, held on the 30th of April at the grade II historic headquarters of aql, was key as the teams came together and showcased their fundraising stories.

Easypay Services came back for a second year and went head-to-head with Northern Gas Networks, Winston Solicitors, the NHS Leadership Academy and Space Property (part of Yorkshire Housing) to raise as much money as possible from a loan of £50.

Paul Greaves, Channel Director for aql, Keith Madley, Company Chairman for MBE, Dawn Spencer, Business Relationship Manager for Barclays, and Cath Lee, Chief Executive Officer for Leeds Mencap joined the panel as judges and learned more about the teams’ efforts throughout the challenges.

As totals were totted-up it was revealed that Easypay Services won by raising over £5,300! Laura Whitston, Marketing and Social Media Executive and Sarah Show, Finance Director at Easypay were handed the award by Martin Staniforth, chair of Leeds Mencap, and panel chairman for the event. During the celebrations, the full amount raised through the collective efforts of the teams that took part in the challenge was also revealed. All in all a staggering £8,500 was raised to support children and adults across Leeds affected by learning disabilities!

We at aql were very happy to be a part of this year’s Leeds Mencap Apprentice challenge and see businesses in Leeds come together for a good cause and raise an important amount of money to help the people with learning disabilities. We do hope to get involved next year and contribute to Leeds Mencap future fundraising projects.

aql’s partnership with us on our corporate charity challenge this year has been outstanding and the Salem Chapel venue was suburb. Huge thanks to aql for their involvement with Leeds Mencap on this event and delighted to have begun a relationship with the company which will benefit children and adults with a learning disability and their families and carers throughout Leeds.

Sarah Shaw, Finance Director at Easypay Services who was there to receive the winning trophy on the night said: “It is a great pleasure and honor to be receiving this award from Leeds Mencap. It is a charity that Easypay Services has grown to absolutely love and the work they do to support people with learning disabilities is fantastic. We’ve thoroughly enjoyed taking part, are delighted to have won as we came runners-up last year and can’t wait to do it again.”

It is a great pleasure and honor to be receiving this award from Leeds Mencap. It is a charity that Easypay Services has grown to absolutely love and the work they do to support people with learning disabilities is fantastic. We’ve thoroughly enjoyed taking part, are delighted to have won as we came runners-up last year and can’t wait to do it again.

About Leeds Mencap

Leeds Mencap is a local and independent charity that provides support for children and adults with a learning disability, along with their families and carers. It has been running since 1953. The charity supports more than 300 families a week, offering a range of services such as parent support projects, youth clubs, social groups, play schemes and residential care. Although Leeds Mencap is affiliated with National Mencap, the charity is an independently-run charity and has to secure all its own funding.

To learn more about Leeds Mencap, visit: www.leedsmencap.org.uk.