Air IT, a leading Managed Service Provider in the UK, has raised £10,620 for Guide Dogs, their chosen charity of the year for 2023. The goal was to support someone with sight loss to live a more fulfilling life with the assistance of their very own guide dog.
Throughout the year, the staff at Air IT organised various fundraising activities, including charity client events, bake sales, competitions, and personal donations. As a result of these efforts, Air IT successfully raised £10,620 to name and sponsor a puppy ‘Air’ through the charity’s Name a Puppy scheme.
Felicity Stratton, Community Fundraising Relationship Manager for Guide Dogs, said: “It costs approximately £54,800 to support a guide dog from birth to retirement and Guide Dogs relies almost entirely on donations to keep its life-changing services running.
“We’d like to say a big thank you to everyone at Air IT for choosing to support us and we look forward to sharing the news of Air’s safe arrival soon.”
The funds raised by Air IT were made possible with the introduction of their Charity and Community Employee Resource Group (ERG), an integral part of Air IT’s ESG journey. Further support was given throughout the year by Brian Little, an industry veteran and close friend of Air IT who now dedicates his time to raising vital funds for Guide Dogs, having lost his vision a few years ago. The support contributed significantly to the fundraising efforts, enabling Air IT to cover the training process of a guide dog.
Brian Little, a volunteer fundraiser for Guide Dogs said: “It’s been an absolute pleasure working closely with Air IT over the past year, having been involved in a number of events such as their annual AirFest, THEBIG50 and other company events including a recent webinar, and working closely with their exceptional sales team. I’m looking forward to following Air’s training journey next year.
“Having had the chance to meet lots of guide dog owners and being severely visually impaired myself (blind), I fully understand the life-changing qualities a guide dog brings to someone. A personal thank you to the entire Air IT team for their fantastic support and remarkable fundraising efforts. You guys are really making a difference!”
The funds raised by Air IT will cover the process of training Air from birth to advanced training, until the point of handover where Air will be paired and become the eyes and trusted companion of someone with sight loss.
Guide Dogs, a UK-based charity, heavily relies on donations to continue its life-changing work, which makes a real difference in the lives of adults and children living with sight loss.
