TAKE £50 and turn it into a magical amount of cash for five local charities. That is the challenge to businesses and organisations across Milton Keynes and Northamptonshire.
Law firm Franklins Solicitors has thrown down the gauntlet, offering £50 seed funding to all entrants. In exchange, teams will work with their chosen charity on a plan to make as much profit as possible over a three-month period.
Entries are now open for the #Franklins50 challenge, which begins on February 13 and runs until May 13. The charities to benefit this year are MK Act, Willen Hospice and MK Food Bank in Milton Keynes as well as Northampton Hope Centre and Cynthia Spencer Hospice in Northampton.
“We are delighted to declare this year’s #Franklins50 challenge open for local businesses and organisations to register a team to take part,” says Andrea Smith, head of business services at Franklins. “This year all the money raised will go to five local charities tackling the cost of living crisis and improving wellbeing. Taking part is an opportunity for team building, getting creative and having fun while raising money for very worthwhile causes.”
- Pictured above: Franklins Solicitors partners (from left) Andrea Smith, Simon Long, Lee Holmes and Scott Wright.
Northampton-based digital marketing agency onefoursix took part in the 2022 competition, using their £50 to create and serve a fundraising barbecue event. The firm has already signed up for 2023. “We got the onefoursix team together and floated a few ideas around the table including the BBQ idea,” says managing director Dave Williams pictured below on chef’s duties at last year’s onefoursix barbecue.
“At the time, with the weather being so good, the BBQ idea stuck – who doesn’t love a BBQ? We had no idea that it would take off as much as it did. We must have done over 100 orders that day. The BBQ will be back for 2023.”
The challenge is open to any business, organisation or community group and entrants can be as creative as they like with their fundraising.
To enter, visit https://www.franklins-sols.co.uk/50-challenge/
A resident of MK Act’s refuge said: “I am so pleased MK Act are included in the #Franklins50 fundraising challenge. The money raised in the challenge will help victims of domestic abuse through their ‘Last Resort Fund’. This fund saved my life and paid for us to leave our home safely and quickly where we were in danger. It paid for our taxi, a hotel for two nights and emergency food for us.”
Louise Danielczuk, fundraising and marketing manager at Northampton Hope Centre, said: “This challenge will make the lives of those who are hungry a little easier. We encourage all businesses to get behind this amazing challenge and get their fundraising caps on to generate as much as possible to support their local community.”
