Cricket n’ curry night raises money for charities
Cricket and fundraising were on the menu at a hugely successful charity event held at the Aagrah restaurant in Sheffield recently, which was organised by investment firm Investec Wealth & Investment, as part of the Investec Ashes 2015 Cycle Challenge.
Over 160 people attended the event, which raised over £6k for two worthy charities – the Lord’s Taverners and Bluebell Wood Childrens’ Hospice.
The event was attended by Chris Broad and Jonathan Agnew, both former English cricketers. Broad, who currently serves as a Cricket official, played 26 Test Matches for his Country and is best known for his success in the 1986/87 Ashes series, where he hit three centuries in consecutive tests. Agnew has become a leading voice of cricket on the radio, as the BBC radio cricket correspondent and as a commentator on Test Match Special. After the meal, Chris and Jonathan took part in a quick-fire Question and Answer session about both England and International cricket which generated some lively debate!
The evening concluded with an auction of cricket memorabilia, such as a cricket bat signed by all the England team and other highly sought after prizes which helped to raise the fundraising total. This included the chance for a child to be the England Mascot for a cricket test match, plus tickets for prestigious sporting events, including Derby Day at Epsom Downs Racecourse, the Investec Ashes Test Match at Lord’s and the 2016 World Snooker Championship final.
James Bedingfield, Senior Investment Director at Investec Wealth & Investment, said: “This was a really successful event, as well as a chance for cricket enthusiasts to quiz two of England’s most experienced cricketers. With our whole team’s fundraising activities having raised over £40k already, we are looking forward to making a huge difference to the lives of children and young people both in the Sheffield area and beyond.”
The event was the first fundraiser held by the five cyclists from Investec Wealth & Investment in Sheffield who are taking part in the Investec Ashes 2015 Cycle Challenge. This is a gruelling 300 mile bike ride taking place from 12th to 15th July between five Ashes Test Match grounds: Old Trafford, Trent Bridge, Edgbaston, Lord’s and Kia Oval. As well as raising money for the two charities, the challenge is a celebration of the 10 year anniversary of the ‘greatest ever’ test series between England and Australia.
To further boost their fundraising efforts, the Sheffield office is organising the Sunshine Ball, which will be held on Saturday 13th June at Sheffield City Hall. The event will include a four course meal, plus an evening of entertainment featuring live music, sporting celebrity guests and a charity auction.
The challenge has as its ambassador former Yorkshire and England cricketer Darren Gough, who takes over from former England cricketer Mike Gatting OBE who led the last challenge in 2013. The Investec Ashes 2015 Cycle Challenge has also attracted a number of celebrities, including former professional footballer Matthew Etherington and Olympic silver medallist diver Leon Taylor.
In 2013, the challenge raised over £250k for the Lord’s Taverners charity and other charities, such as the Sheffield’s Children’s Appeal. This year, the Sheffield cyclists are hoping to raise enough money for a minibus for the Rowan Special School in Dore, which supports pupils with complex speech and language difficulties and/or autism spectrum disorders.
For more information, or to book tickets for the Sunshine Ball, contact James Bedingfield on 0114 275 5100 or email: james.bedingfield@investecwin.co.uk or visit the website www.investecwin.co.uk.
If you would like to sponsor any of the cyclists, click the link for the BT MyDonate pagehttps://mydonate.bt.com/events/investecashescyclechallenge2015/200198
and follow us on facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Investec-Ashes-2015-Cycle-Challenge/1689281784629166?fref=ts
