Manx Telecom has gifted the Isle of Man Children's Centre with a new minibus for its 'Adventure Days' out around the Island.
The 12-seater vehicle, which has wheelchair access, has been paid for firstly by a series of fundraising events organised by Manx Telecom staff throughout the year and secondly, by parent Company O2, who agreed to match the £16,000 raised by their Manx colleagues.
The bus will be used to take youngsters on the Centre's ‘Adventure Days’ and for the 'Out2Play' scheme, which offers thousands of children the chance to join outdoor play days during the school holidays.
The funds raised by Manx Telecom have covered the cost of a full-time Out2Play worker for an entire year, and the company has also donated an Out2Play-branded transit van to ferry play equipment to and from various Out2Play venues.
Major fundraising events included an Exchange Challenge Walk, where employees were challenged to make their way - on foot, bike and horseback - from Manx Telecom’s headquarters to various telephone exchanges around the Island; a Family Fun Day at Cronkbourne Cricket Club; and an abseiling session at Maughold Venture Centre.
“The arrival of this minibus will be a tremendous boost to our Adventure Days and will enable many more children to take part,” said the IOMCC’s Development Manager Rebecca McCauley.
"We owe a great debt of gratitude to the staff at Manx Telecom who have given us such wholehearted support.”
Manx Telecom’s Marketing Communications Manager Voirrey Barron said that the Company were longstanding supporters of the Children’s Centre.
“The charity does a fantastic amount of work for a great many children on the Island and we are thrilled to have reached our funding target, because we know the minibus, play worker and transit van will be put to extremely good use.”
Thanks have been given to Colin Bell and Mike Butler of EuroCars Renault Douglas for their support throughout the project: the vehicle required a bespoke conversion from a typical minibus seat layout to one with wheelchair access and appropriate seating.
Pictured: Staff and children from the Isle of Man Children’s Centre with Manx Telecom representatives, celebrating the arrival of a brand new minibus for the charity organisation.
