Get involved in Charity
It’s not often that we start an editorial by saying thank you from the team and I. So many of you have contributed and along the way with both advice and critique that has always been well received and helped us become the company we are today.
It is also cheering to know that we have had a positive impact on many of those we’ve assisted and enabled (often in traumatic times). For this reason, I’m also grateful that Blackstone Consultancy has some outstanding men and women working tirelessly with integrity and professionalism to help all of our clients.
I first considered getting the company involved in a major charitable event during a management meeting. Just before Christmas last year the team and I were taking stock of the many achievements made over the year and though commercially we were succeeding, our social conscience was not as fulfilled as it could have been. I am proud to say that Blackstone Consultancy has always had a strong sense of personal values and principles and now I think we are in a position to appoint a charity annually for whom we can raise awareness and funds.
Donating to the causes you care about not only benefits the charity themselves, it can also be deeply rewarding. Millions of people give to charity on a regular basis to support causes they believe in, as well as for the positive effect it has on their own lives.
Having the power to improve the lives of others is to many people a privilege and one that comes with its own sense of obligation. Acting on these powerful feelings of responsibility is a great way to reinforce our own values and feel like we’re living in a way that is true to our ethical beliefs.
As many will know, the foundation for the majority of the team began with an over-excited Drill Sergeant on a parade square and solidified as specialists in foreign lands. Many of us served our country at a time of adventurous overseas deployments and overenthusiastic foreign policy (much of which has shaped the world both for better and worse today).
Many of us also witnessed the visible damage inflicted on those who served in the form of broken bodies and missing limbs (as well as those psychological injuries that remain unseen).
It was natural perhaps for our first charitable association to choose a group affiliated with the Military and one where we could help provide care for those injured in the course of their duties.
About our Charity – Blesma
Though our generation has more experience and expertise to help repair the damage caused by bombs and rehabilitate those left with a permanent disability there are still significant challenges. Treatment for those who have lost limbs or eyes is a complex, long-term and demanding programme requiring as much psychology and counselling as physiotherapy and surgery.
Blesma, The Limbless Veterans helps all serving and ex-Service men and women who have lost limbs, or lost the use of limbs or eyes, to rebuild their lives by providing rehabilitation activities and welfare support. Since 1932, they are the only national Armed Forces Charity that supports limbless veterans for the duration of their lives.
The charity event
On the 16th September, we are entering a team in the London to Brighton Cycle Ride covering 54 miles from south London to Madeira Drive on the Brighton seafront.
Once we are out of London we will race along quiet country lanes passing through Mitcham, Carshalton, Chipstead, Banstead and Haywards Heath before taking on the challenge that is Ditchling Beacon – a mile long climb to the top of the South Downs where we will be rewarded with amazing views, if we can appreciate them after that. From here we bomb downhill the last few miles onto Brighton seafront. And some much-deserved cold refreshments!
Our Sponsors
We have also been touched by the actions of our corporate sponsors who have purchased space on the stylish cycle shirts that we will be wearing throughout the training process and to the race itself so special thanks to:
Northern Trust – Global asset manager Northern Trust already have a specialised arm of their company helping charities and foundations grow their assets and invest responsibly.
Ecclesiastical – Insurer Ecclesiastical are already renowned for as the only financial group with a purely charitable purpose, they are UK’s 4th largest corporate donor and gave £27 million to charity last year.
Cloud Ten – Our faithful (and long-suffering) marketing and design guru’s, Cloud Ten played (and continue to play) an integral part in taking Blackstone Consultancy out of the shadows and into the future.
TSI Security – One of Blackstone Consultancy’s preferred installers, TSI have helped many of our clients secure their properties with effective and comprehensive security installations.
Our Team
Once word got out that we were planning this event, we were approached by a brave (or foolhardy) group of people who have volunteered to come along and raise funds. As well as the core Blackstone Consultancy team, we have Marvellous Matt from Barclays, Supersonic Simon from Cloud Ten, Dashing Denice from GardaWorld, Racing Rhiannon from Dual Group and Pacing Peter from Smart Parking. In total we have 11 riders, most enthusiastic amateurs with little riding experience who have been wrapped in Lycra across the Home Counties on the weekends!
How you can help support us
Here’s the important part, we are seeking donations big and small and we are also seeking to sell the stylish one-off designed shirts we have for any velo enthusiasts, we have a number to sell of various sizes.
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/blackstone-consultancy-ltd
Or for those ‘link adverse’, go onto the Just giving web-page and search our company name.
We understand there are multiple charity requests, but anything you can spare is appreciated.
We will be posting images of the team training, so all support on social media is welcomed.
Thank you.
