My employers, first direct, run a charity scheme called ‘£ for £’ whereby if you raise funds for a charity they will match that pound for pound up to a maximum of £500 per year. Alternatively they will pay your charity £10 per hour worked by you on the charity’s behalf up to a maximum of 50 hours ie £500 per year. (This was originally a maximum of £100 per year for either claim). 

I have made a claim on Tia’s behalf each year since Bobby walked into our lives. This has meant Tia benefiting by £1200 so far and I will soon be putting in a claim for £500 for 2008 – well it’s easy to rack up 50 hours working on the Sponsor Dogs. 

But then, this year, first direct introduced a new Award called ‘The Amazing Act of Giving Award’. Everyone who works at first direct were able to nominate someone they knew who gave their time to charity. Out of over 100 nominations I was selected to be in the final 3 people for this award. First prize of £1000 went to a lady who took a career break and went to do voluntary work at a school in Africa, 2^nd prize of £500 went to a chap who had raised over £10k for the hospital ward who looked after his wife in her last weeks before dying at a tragically young age – and 3^rd prize went to me for Tia. HURRAY! I’m sorry Deb & Bob that I didn’t manage to win more for Tia but I am absolutely delighted to have won through to 3^rd place because there were many, many different charities that could have benefited from this award – and Tia were selected. Who says that animal charities aren’t popular!

I would like to say a big thank you to first direct for all the help they have given Tia – long may it continue.

So, what could your employers do for Tia? Do they have a charity scheme – if not why not suggest they start one? Would they look to make a donation to Tia? Would they sponsor a dog? Would they organise a working party to go up and help out with dog walking or any manual work which needs doing? Could they have a fund raising day at work? Could they have a collecting tin in reception? There are lots of ways your employers could help Tia so why not find out exactly what they could do?

Tia needs you!