The North-east’s premier sports-themed corporate fundraising dinner is making a welcome return this year. Sportschallenge is marking the occasion by announcing its charitable trust status.
Taking place at P&J Live on Thursday 15, September, the event will see teams from businesses across the region compete in the Question of Sport-style quiz in a bid to lift the coveted Sportschallenge Trophy.
Sponsored by Piper Sandler, with support from CNR International, the dinner is a highlight of the regional social calendar with previous hosts including well-known sporting personalities Alan McInally, Jim White, Ally McCoist and Andy Nicol.
The seven previous dinners have raised over £600,000 for local causes. As a result, the event has received charitable status and the Sportschallenge Trust has been officially incorporated with five trustees appointed: Nick Dalgarno, Managing Director of Piper Sandler, Emma Anderson, the Organiser of the event, Barry Duncan, Vice-president and Finance Director of CNR, Bob Bain, Managing Partner of Hall Morrice and Gillian Campbell, Partner and Head of the private wealth, tax and charities teams in the north of Scotland with Shepherd + Wedderburn.
The Sportschallenge Trust will invest in local causes which relieve poverty, support those in need of all ages, promote education, health and well-being through participation in sport, save lives, advance citizenship and community, including supporting arts, heritage, science, cultural or recreational initiatives and protect the environment.
Nick Dalgarno, Managing Director of Piper Sandler, said: “We’re delighted to have secured charitable status which means that we can now operate as a stand-alone charity and raise further funds outwith the event itself. We will continue to work with smaller, under represented local charities, giving them a platform to tell their story to a new corporate audience.
“The past two years have been extremely challenging for the third sector, with many charities seeing their usual funding streams dry up at a time when their services are needed more than ever. We may be emerging from the consequences of the pandemic but the need for financial support against an increasingly difficult backdrop is becoming increasingly acute.
“Sportschallenge is about making a real difference for these groups by providing vital funding to help them continue to deliver the services which benefit so many local people.
“We’ve not been able to do that for the past two years, so this year’s event is more important than ever. That’s why we’re encouraging as many businesses as possible to sign up. It’s a way to financially support local causes, while letting your competitive spirit and sports’ knowledge loose in a highly entertaining way.”
For information on how to register for the event, contact Emma Anderson, Sportschallenge Trust, at emma@esme-ltd.com or on 07856 687873.