Perennial kicked off
its 180th anniversary in style this week with the annual Party for
Perennial at La Goccia in Covent Garden.
Over 160 people from
across the industry came together for an evening of networking and
fundraising in support of the horticulture industry’s only social and
welfare support charity.
The party also
formally launched Perennial’s annual fundraising campaign, with a range
of new challenge events including the Marathon Month https://perennial.org.uk/events/perennials-marathon-month/,
a virtual event that will take place in June.
To mark its
180th year, Perennial wants to reach more people with its
tailored one-to-one support services than ever before. The Party for
Perennial, now in its fifth year, demonstrates the incredible
cross sector support for the charity, with many businesses and individuals
already signed up to take part in fundraising events and partnership
activities this year.
Over £6,000
was raised on the night from the raffle, ticket sales and
sponsorship, and people in the room pledged support across major flower
shows, horticulture trade events and numerous other individual
and corporate fundraising activities. Thanks go to the event’s
headline sponsors The HTA and Gavin Jones.
Peter
Newman, Perennial’s Chief Executive said: “We talk regularly to our
supporters and the people who know about Perennial but our challenge this
year is to reach the people who are struggling but don’t know that
Perennial is here and ready to help.
"Our Party for
Perennial brings people together from across the wider industry giving us
the opportunity to thank them for their support, as well as making
new connections and talking to more people about what we do. We have 180 years’
experience of helping people in horticulture and we are in a
strong position to continue to grow and increase the help we offer.”
Anita Bates,
Perennial’s Director of Marketing and Fundraising comments: “We know that
by forging deep-rooted partnerships with horticulture businesses we can
continue to help the people who need us most.
"These partnerships
help us spread the word about how we help and allow us to raise funds to
continue our work.
"We have a busy
2019 lined up with fundraising challenge events, gardens at flower
shows, our growing Perennial Fellowship and other new initiatives for
businesses to get involved in our work. And our message is simple, the
more support we receive, the more people we can help.”
Perennial is
challenging people to take part in its Marathon Month during June,
where people can run or walk a marathon in their own time with the target
of raising £180 in sponsorship. The marathon can be done either in
one go or gradually over the course of the month. Participants track their
distance via an exercise app and there is a leader board for the more
competitive.
Following the
success of Perennial’s first overseas challenge event last year, there are
three exciting trips of a lifetime available this year.
Choose from trekking
the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, climbing Mount
Kilimanjaro or cycling from Ho Chi Minh to
Angkor Wat, while raising funds through sponsorship.
Closer to home,
there are two new events to take part in. Those with a head
for heights can abseil down the ArcelorMittal Orbit
Tower in the Olympic Park in April and there are also spaces available
for fundraisers to enter the Great North Run, the UK’s biggest
half marathon.
For further
information and to sign up for one of the fundraising activities,
visit www.perennial.org.uk
