Local charities come into Health-on-Line for meet and greet with employees

Health-on-Line welcomed local charities Dorset Mind and Dorset Children’s Foundation into their Bournemouth office on 7^th May for a charitable bake sale and for employees to learn about their services and where their donations are going, as well as meet some of the children that Dorset Children’s Foundation are currently helping.

Health-on-Line employees were encouraged to bring in their creations, with a prize for the best bake up for grabs, and to buy a cake when meeting the charities. With a successful turnout and all cakes sold, a fantastic £197 was raised which will be split equally between both charities and added to the money already donated.

With last year’s target of £15,000 to beat, so far this year the Bournemouth-based insurer has raised funds through a Valentine’s Raffle, with local businesses offering prizes, and had 18 employees competing in the Bournemouth Bay Run, which generated over £3000; a huge amount of vital funds for both charities.  

Speaking of the day, co-founder of Dorset Children’s Foundation Patsy Hallmey said: “It was great to talk 1-to-1 with people and for staff to hear parents’ experiences first-hand.

“We had lots of offers of help and everyone was really enthusiastic, thank you for having us.”

Dorset Children’s Foundation support local sick and disabled children by funding medical expenses, mobility equipment and therapies not covered by the NHS. Set up in 2013, they aim to improve the quality of life for children so they can play a larger part in the society around them, be that family or school.

Over the last four years, Health-on-Line has donated more than £40,000 to their nominated charities which are chosen by their employees each year. Their work within the community is very close to their hearts which is why they have a charity panel made up of staff dedicated to ensuring that various fundraising and volunteering activities take place throughout the year.

With Dorset Mind being their chosen charity for the second year running, Income Generation and Marketing Manager Dee Swinton offered employees an insight into the work they do and how they are working on making mental health a topic just as easy to talk about as physical health.

Dee said: “It was really relaxed which was a comfortable environment to speak to people in, as people are more likely to open up on a 1-to-1 basis.”

With a quiz night and football tournament planned in the next few months, Health-on-Line are hopeful that they will be able to support both of these charities very generously throughout 2019.