Worcester's 'Big Orange' tickled pink by fundraising day

01-Nov-2006

Britain's leading business-to-business express delivery company TNT changed its familiar shade of corporate orange for pink tones on Friday (October 27) and raised almost £10,000 for Breast Cancer Campaign's 'Wear it Pink' day.

Thousands of employees at TNT depots and contact centres across the UK tool part in the charity event, part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and donned pink bras, pants, t-shirts, ties, wigs, trousers and other crazy outfits as well as hosted dozens of fund-raising events to support the initiative.

Employees at TNT's Worcester depot at the Hartlebury Trading Estate near Worcester dressed up in wacky pink outfits to support the day - and raised £500 in the process.

Think pink: From left, Julie Hussey, Dee Clarke, Vanessa Hughes and front, Worcester Depot General Manager Adrian Avery

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Staff member Dee Clarke, who is currently on leave receiving treatment for breast cancer, joined colleagues on the day to support the fund-raising.

Adrian Avery, Depot General Manager at the Worcester depot, said: "TNT is famous for its orange corporate colours, but it was absolutely no problem for us to change to pink for the day. Everyone really got behind the event, we had lots of fun and raised a substantial amount for the Breast Cancer Campaign ."

Dee added: "I suppose it was quite an emotional day for me - but I just knew I had to be with my friends and colleagues to support such a deserving cause. Everyone had a great time."

Since it started in 2003, Wear it Pink events have raised a staggering £3.6 million to help the Breast Cancer Campaign continue researching the cure for breast cancer.

Wear it Pink also won the UK fund-raising Campaign of the Year award in 2004 - one of the most prestigious fundraising awards of its kind in the UK.

Tom Bell, Managing Director of TNT Express Services UK & Ireland, said the company takes its corporate social responsibilities very seriously and recognise the importance of supporting worthy causes.

He added: " We have a strong focus on the children's charity, Wooden Spoon and have donated more than £1.7 million in recent years to help disabled and disadvantaged children throughout the UK. Internationally, we support the United Nations World Food Programme and have raised hundreds of thousands of pounds to help feed and educate children in Africa."