Business helps charities to thrive

Raising money for charity is no humbug for socially aware businesses.

[ClickPress, Wed Dec 13 2006] A little more than 160 years after Ebenezer Scrooge gave business executives a bad name one networking company is redressing the balance.

Thrive for business has raised £16,770 for good causes in the last few months as part of its policy of giving something back to society.

While Scrooge has become the archetypal image of a miserly boss, as created by Charles Dickens, Thrive for Business is determined to prove that commerce can provide a valuable resource for charities.

As one of Scotland’s leading networking companies with eight clubs across
Edinburgh and Glasgow, Thrive has adopted a unique on-going method of raising money for various charities throughout the year.

At each Thrive event a charity member is employed to act as secretary treasurer for the club to ensure administration runs smoothly and in return the charity gains valuable contacts and a supply of funds.

Every Thrive club has two meetings a month. Members pay a monthly fee by standing order to the club for their refreshments plus a margin. The charity is then awarded 50% of this income minus costs for any Thrive stationary items required.

If a member or visitor is unable to attend a club meeting the cost of their ticket is banked into the clubs account and shared with the hosting charity.

“One of the unique things about Thrive as a network is that it actively promotes and encourages interaction between business and charity. Good connections are crucial to doing business – it’s not what you know, it’s who you know,” said Amanda Kremer, Managing Director of Thrive for Business.

”Charities are fantastic members as they are so well connected and quite literally know the great and the good of Scotland.

“I’m delighted to say they have been extremely generous with their contacts and make introductions wherever they can. By the same token, Thrive members are pleased to support the charity in their club by helping to raise money for these good causes. It’s a win win deal which is what doing business should be all about.”

This year The Anthony Nolan Trust which provides life saving donors for patients in need of a bone marrow transplant is in line to receive some £3,500 having joined Thrive Noon Meissa in February 2006.

Children’s charity Barnardo’s was the first charity to enter into this special relationship with Thrive and has received over £5,000 for their first year with Thrive AM Atlas with more funds in the upping.

Clic Sargent, a charity set up to help children and young people with cancer having joined Thrive AM Diadem in August of this year has £350 put aside to date.

The British Red Cross is in line to receive £250 towards their work helping the needy in times of crisis having joined Thrive Noon Chara in September this year.

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution and Diabetes have just started working with Thrive in October of this year have some £85 each saved up so far for their cause.

Capability Scotland is Scotland’s leading disability organisation and has been the most successful financially from Thrive achieving £7,500 from the relationship.

What the charities say:

Clic Sargent (members of Thrive AM Diadem)
“Thrive has been a great help in providing awareness and exposure for the charity,” said Hamish Aldridge of Clic Sargent.
”In the short time we have been with Thrive Diadem charity we have raised £350. It’s a very successful way of getting charities and business together. Getting awareness is often as important as getting straight cash.”

Anthony Nolan (members of Thrive Noon Meissa)
“Thrive is an excellent medium for charities to gain access to receptive companies and corporate supporters,” said .Allan Johnston of The Anthony Nolan Trust.
”In our case that benefits us two fold – it gives us an opportunity to encourage companies to support us financially and it also gives us the opportunity to recruit directly from the workforce which at the end of the day leads to better quality donors on the bone marrow register.
”Our relationship with Thrive has been a complete success and I would be very keen to maintain the relationship.
”A number of Thrive members have taken part in a number of fund raising events and I have had access to a number of very influential people in various companies which have gone on to result in company support for the Anthony Nolan Trust.”



Anthony Nolan (members of Thrive Noon Phaet)
“Joining Thrive has given us a great opportunity to network,” said Anne Hughes
of The Anthony Nolan Trust.
”It’s given us a fantastic boost and it’s given us access to a lot of businesses we otherwise wouldn’t have had.
“We’re delighted about how well it’s gone, to be honest we would’ve done it without the donation but the donation’s a nice wee boost as well”.

Capability Scotland (ex members of Thrive AM Diadem)
”It was a great way to make contacts and we received many benefits from the association,” said Sarah Mills of Capability Scotland.

Barnardo’s (members of Thrive AM Atlas)
“Being a member of Thrive has certainly been very beneficial for us,” said Kerston Herriott.
”Charities pay an important part in the community and when you get them together with businesses both can benefit It is a great idea.”

RNLI (members of Thrive Noon Vega)
“It has been a fantastic experience for us,” said Ross McKay of the RNLI.
”This is the first time we have ventured into the corporate market and to have the opportunity to see up to a dozen new faces every week with an introduction to themselves and their client base has been great for us.
”It is still early days but already we have made a lot of new contacts for the future.”

British Red Cross (members of Thrive Noon Chara)
“It’s still fairly early days for us but even after just a few months it has proved a great opportunity for us to network with businesses which have resulted in quite a few contacts,” said Laura Barron of the British Red Cross.
”It’s a great idea bringing charities and business together like this to share contacts. I think there is a lot more we will be able to make from it.”




ends

For more information please Amanda Kremer at Thrive for Business on 0131 271 4419. More information on Thrive can be found at www.thriveforbusiness.co.uk
Notes to Editors:
Thrive For Business is a series of networking clubs designed to help businesses grow by creating the opportunity, atmosphere and motivation for success.
Thrive clubs meet twice a month at a regular venue. Thrive AM for breakfast, Thrive PM after work and Thrive Noon at midday.
Thrive was founded in 2005 by Amanda Kremer and now has six clubs:
Thrive AM Diadem (breakfast club in Edinburgh)
Thrive Noon Meissa (lunchtime club in Edinburgh)
Thrive PM Sabik (evening club in Edinburgh)
Thrive Noon Vega (lunchtime club in Edinburgh)
Thrive AM Atlas (breakfast club in Glasgow)
Thrive Noon Phaet (lunchtime club in Glasgow)
Thrive Noon Chara (lunchtime property club in Glasgow)
Thrive Noon Haedi (lunchtime club in Glasgow)

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