Get fit for "Florrie" combines fundraising with employee well being

ACCO Brands Aylesbury launched a new initiative called Get Fit for Florrie in February

Employees who sign up and achieve five activities a week will raise money for ACCO Brands Aylesbury’s Charity of the Year, Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity (FNHC), as the company has committed to donate £20 for each person who completes the whole challenge.

“We’ve asked colleagues to join us in the ‘Get Fit for Florrie’ five-week challenge to improve their fitness whilst raising money for FNHC at the same time,” says Deanne Ballard, Director of European HR and Talent at ACCO Brands EMEA and member of the company’s Charitable Giving Board.

“The challenge rewards people for doing a variety of healthy activities inside and outside of work, such as walking or cycling to work, doing 30 minutes of exercise, or giving up smoking.”

After the challenge finishes on Easter Sunday, ACCO Brands will donate up to £20 per person to Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity.

This amount is made up of £5 for each person who registers for the challenge, £2 per week for completing five activities or more and £5 for completing all five weeks of the challenge.

“We have over 30 people signed up, and so far they are all achieving their five activities a week,” says Deanne.

The company is also putting on Friday lunchtime health and wellbeing sessions with local personal trainer and sports therapist, Angie Lunnon, who has kindly agreed to donate her fee to the ‘Get Fit for Florrie’ fund.

“We really admire the proactivity of the ACCO Brands Charitable Giving Board in designing a fundraising campaign that also meets their own company objectives,” said Jo Turner, Head of

Fundraising of Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity.

“It’s the best kind of corporate support as it’s a win-win for both Florence Nightingale Hospice and for the company’s employees, and it’s incredibly generous of ACCO Brands as a company to support the Hospice in this way, by committing money as well as encouraging staff to get involved with fundraising events.”

Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity needs to raise over £750,000 each year to continue providing care and support to patients in Buckinghamshire with life-limiting illnesses and their families.