Staff from leading Welsh recruitment company, Smart Solutions, have picked up their paddles and canoed 20 miles to raise almost £5,000 for the Bobath Children’s Therapy Centre Wales.
Twenty-three members of staff from the Newport-headquartered company tackled the Brecon and Monmouth Canal to canoe a 20 mile stretch, while a further 11 donned their walking boots to trek 10 miles, completing the route on foot.
Despite a wobbly start that saw some of the team take an unexpected summer-dip, all of the canoeists and walkers made it over the line, raising an impressive £4,825.
Smart Solutions chief executive, Nathan Bowles, said: “Canoeing 20 miles is no mean feat and I am really proud of the team who all made it over the finish line despite a few of us who struggled to stay upright in the beginning!
“It was a great day out and helped to bring the team, who are based across South Wales, together to raise money for a fantastic cause, and I would like to say thank you and well done to all canoeists and walkers who took part.”
Smart Solutions decided to raise money for the Bobath Children’s Therapy Centre Wales after seeing the support and treatment that the charity provided to one of their team members, Deb Vincent and her two year old son, Jack.
Jack contracted meningitis when he was just four weeks old and suffered a series of mini strokes, resulting in brain damage leading to a diagnosis of Athetoid Cerebral Palsy. When Jack was seven months old his family was referred to the Bobath Children’s Therapy Centre Wales by their consultant paediatrician and the charity provided specialist physiotherapy and speech and language therapy to help Jack improve his core strength and oral skills.
The charity has agreed to fund treatment for Jack and already his parents have seen improvements. Jack is now able to sit unaided for a few seconds and be fed by hand rather than through a tube.
As a result of the support that Bobath has given to Deb, Smart Solutions Recruitment has nominated it as their charity of the year and has committed to raising £21,000 for the cause over the next 12 months.
Mr Bowles said: “We have been genuinely touched by the generous, life-changing support that the Bobath Children’s Therapy Centre Wales has shown to Deb, Jack and the whole family, and we really wanted to do what we could to support the charity.
“This year, Smart Solutions turns five years old, while Bobath is celebrating its 21st anniversary. We have committed to spend our fifth year raising £21,000 for the charity to help support the good work they do for so many children.
“This is the first in a long line of fund-raising initiatives that we’ll be rolling out over the coming year, and we’re already busy planning our next event which will be a themed fund-raising dinner in Cardiff on 23 November.”
The Bobath Children’s Therapy Centre Wales provides specialist therapy to children across Wales who have cerebral palsy.
Bobath therapy is made up of three disciplines, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech and language therapy, and aims to give each child the skills to explore the world, communicate their needs and participate as much as possible in all aspects of their lives.
The charity treats more than 450 children in Wales each year and needs to raise over £1m every year to make this possible.
Fundraising manager, Gail Griffiths said “This was an amazing fundraiser organised & undertaken by an amazing team at Smart Solutions and we are truly grateful for their support. I have no doubt that they will succeed in their pledge to raise £21,000 for Bobath Wales as we celebrate our 21st year”.
Smart Solutions Recruitment was established in 2007 and in five years has become one of Wales’ most successful emerging brands, receiving a Welsh “FAST GROWTH 50” award three times and is also on this year’s list.
The company is headquartered at the Langstone Business Park in Newport and has 26 offices across the UK, including seven in Wales. It puts more than 3,000 staff to work across the UK every day.
Donations to Smart Solutions charity efforts can be made via https://www.justgiving.com/Smart-Solutions