First Central Donation Bring Smiles!

First Central Group has donated more than £3,000 to the Smile for Georgie Foundation to support their 2021 community events. The money was raised through the team’s 2020 fundraising programme.

The Foundation has planned several community events, which can now take place following the island’s exit from lockdown, which the donation will go towards. The purpose of the Foundation is to make a difference in the community by carrying out small acts of kindness. These acts of kindness are diverse in their nature and range from days out for the young, to providing much needed dementia care equipment at the PEH. The Foundation’s purpose is to benefit all sectors of island community.

First Central’s fundraising activity included ‘The Mighty Move’. Organised to encourage healthy behaviours during and post-lockdown, the initiative challenged the whole organisation to collectively move 7,000km per week, either through walking, running, cycling or taking part in any other form of exercise.

The popular annual fundraising event, ‘The Auction of Promises’, saw First Central colleagues across the business donating their own goods or time to auction off as prizes. These ranged from signed celebrity memorabilia, holidays stays, a chance to play five-a-side against a team of ex-professional football players and even offering to be the ‘tea-person’ for a day or some free gardening.

“Smile for Georgie brings a smile to everyone on the island and not just those who benefit directly from their activity. I’m incredibly proud of the team and that our fundraising activity will have a significant positive impact on families in Guernsey. Our efforts were fun and got us fit, bidding in honour of a great cause and making the most of the outdoors during lockdown brought a smile to us all,” said John Davison, Chief Information Officer at First Central Group.

Jenny Le Prevost said: “Donations like the one received from First Central are crucial for our events to go ahead. They are essential in our mission to make a small difference in the community by making people smile.”

Smile For Georgie have a number of community events planned, these include: the Home Start Easter Egg Hunt (April), Fly With a Smile for deserving children (25 April), and Random Acts of Kindness Week (TBC). All dates are subject to ongoing restrictions.