Families charity Home-Start Wessex is delighted that Holt Recruitment has been shortlisted for the Corporate Volunteer category of the Home-Start Volunteer Awards. Home-Start Wessex nominated the company for its outstanding fundraising efforts over the past year. From over 160 nominations, Holt Recruitment made the final shortlist of just 19.
Using Bournemouth zigzags, the Holt Recruitment team conquered an epic challenge, scaling Mount Everest in a day by walking 8,849 metres to the ‘summit’. They raised over £7,000 for Home-Start Wessex in the process.
In September, the team raised a further £2,500 by taking on an epic week of anything-but-ordinary challenges, including an office-wide conga, a giant Macarena performance, hot wax strips, and some intense exercise-athons. They also collected and donated toys, which were distributed at the Home-Start Wessex Christmas party, ensuring no child was without a present at Christmas.
Caroline Pope, Corporate Partnerships & Marketing Manager at Home-Start Wessex, said, “We are incredibly grateful to Holt Recruitment for their fantastic support and dedication to our cause. The money raised on the Everest challenge has supported eight local families in crisis with one-to-one support for six months. Their Big Give pledge enabled us to participate in the Big Give Challenge and unlock £5,000 of matched fundraising, raising over £10,000 to support young, homeless families in Dorset, making a life-changing difference.
We nominated them for the Home-Start UK Corporate Volunteer Award because they have truly gone above and beyond to help – even climbing Everest! We are so pleased they made the shortlist and will keep our fingers crossed they gain the recognition they deserve.”
The overall winners will be crowned at a special ceremony in London on 27th March 2025, with representatives from both Holt Recruitment and Home-Start Wessex attending.
Karen Wheeler, Global Head of Automotive at Holt Recruitment, said, “We love being a corporate partner for Home-Start Wessex. We were thrilled to pledge the funds they need to support families in our community. Our team have been great sports and had lots of fun completing the challenges during the year.”
Owner Stuart Holt added, “Together, we’ve made a real impact in supporting families and children in need through Home-Start Wessex. Despite some very sore legs and tired bodies after the Everest Challenge, we were overjoyed with our achievement and deeply honoured to have rallied support for this remarkable charity.”
Home-Start Wessex offers friendship, practical support and emotional advice to parents in Dorset with at least one child under five when they are in crisis. Alongside running specialist support groups, one-to-one home support, and school readiness workshops, the charity runs two weekly support groups in temporary hostels, which house mainly single mothers aged 18-25 and their children.
Over the last year, Home-Start Wessex has transformed 1,682 lives, helping a record 501 families. Their reach covers the Purbecks, Swanage, Weymouth, Dorchester, Bridport, the whole of the BCP Council area, including Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch, across the borders of Hampshire and Wiltshire, going as far north as Cranborne and Fordingbridge and as far east as New Milton – a huge area with a population of over 650,000, including many pockets of high-level deprivation.
If you can commit to 2-3 hours each week to help as a family support volunteer, please contact heidi@homestartwessex.org.uk.