2018 Year in Review: Charitable Events

In addition to our commitment to donate 1% of pre-tax budgeted profits to charities every year, our people also fundraise for Gripple’s chosen charity, alongside initiatives close to the hearts of individuals. We choose a new charity of the year annually and in 2018, picked Ethel Trust Community Barge. Ethel Barge supports communities throughout the South Yorkshire region with subsidized and free trips aboard its purpose built barge, Ethel. The charity often focuses on disadvantaged groups with diverse needs, and the trips act as a great way of “unlocking confidence” in a wide range of people of all ages.

This year’s fundraising has included a raft of bake sales, three peaks challenges and other endurance events, car washes, and more recently, a charity Christmas market. We were delighted to be able to present members of Ethel Trust Community Barge with our fundraising total just last week.

Alongside our people’s fundraising exploits for our charity of the year, 2018 has also seen the business supporting a whole host of other worthy causes.

Bangers and Cash, described by organisers as “the UK’s first art road show banger rally”, in aid of youth housing charity, Roundabout, challenged three Gripple engineers to find an old ‘banger’ for under £500, have the bonnet decorated by a local Sheffield artist, raise £2,000, and then drive it from Sheffield to Monto Carlo in 4 days..! Our Gripple team completed the challenge, alongside 25 other teams, who collectively raised £96,000 for the cause – an amazing effort!

‘People Power’ projects, a mainstay on the Gripple fundraising calendar, whereby our workforce volunteers its time to complete renovation projects, continued in 2018 with our renovation of Newfield Green Library. 

We’ve also been delighted to sponsor a range of events in 2018. We continued our partnership with Sheffield’s palliative care charity, St Luke’s Hospice, by sponsoring their excellent ‘Night Strider’ event, and also sponsored Whirlow Hall Farm Trust’s annual Summer Fayre.

Across the pond at Gripple Inc, multiple fundraising campaigns have taken place including the ‘Chilli Cook Off’, where the people there paid $5 to try 11 different homemade chilli entries, as well as a 5k Charity Walk and various raffles. Gripple Inc. also continued its support of Illinois Food Bank, where members of the team regularly volunteer. Gripple Europe has also been busy fundraising throughout the year; organising flea markets, crepe sales and food collections.

Our most recent charitable activity has probably been our most novel! In December, Gripple people wrote, recorded and released a Christmas song – ‘Grumpiness (Santa’s Christmas Crisis)’ – featuring our founder and Chairman, Hugh Facey OBE, as a ‘grumpy’ Santa, disillusioned with modern life but cheered by the arrival of Christmas! The song and music video, which you can watch here, have been released to raise money for Sheffield charity, Whirlow Hall Farm Trust.

We’re always looking for new charitable initiatives to support; if you would benefit from donations – monetary or of our time - please get in touch with us here.