SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
Sky Betting & Gaming (SB&G) has selected the Teenage Cancer Trust as its official corporate charity, following a live pitch by its employees for good causes.
In a closely fought battle, young person’s cancer charity, Teenage Cancer Trust, emerged the winner of the SB&G’s ‘Great Charity Pitch’.
The Leeds based online betting and gaming business whittled suggested charities down to a shortlist of five, before employee ambassadors presented their pitches in a bid to secure the vote of their colleagues. In the vote, Teenage Cancer Trust edged children’s cancer charity, Give A Duck UK to secure the financial support of SB&G for the following year.
Sandro di Michele, the SB&G employee who delivered the winning pitch, said: “One of our colleagues was struck by a rare form of cancer called, Myelodysplastic Syndrome earlier this year and spent two months on the Teenage Cancer Trust ward at St James’s University Hospital in Leeds. The care he received was incredible and undoubtedly helped his recovery. It was nerve wracking and emotional to stand up and explain in front of the entire business why Teenage Cancer Trust means so much to me, but well worth it.”
Richard Flint, Sky Betting and Gaming’s CEO, welcomed UK Teenage Cancer Trust as its selected charity: “It made perfect sense to ask our employees themselves which charity they want to plough their fundraising efforts into and one of our colleague’s direct experience of Teenage Cancer Trust persuaded us that they were the right charity to choose. With two units in Leeds and Sheffield, the money we raise really will be supporting local young people.”
All five of the shortlisted charities (New Beginnings Horses, Give a Duck UK, Action on Addiction, Teenage Cancer Trust and Kiva) will receive a £500 donation, with Teenage Cancer Trust being the beneficiary of SB&G’s major, company-wide fundraising activities.
