Wednesday, 19th December 2018. Grant Thornton has today announced that the Grant Thornton GT5K Corporate Challenge race series has raised a record €24,350 in 2018, the most money raised by the event since the popular race series began in 2012. These funds were supplemented by monies raised by Grant Thornton staff through various CSR activities throughout the year – bringing the total raised to €30,000.
The funds raised will help to support the Simon Community in Ireland, the charity that works to provide housing, support and health care services to those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
Since inception of the GT5K event the total sum of €124,560 has been raised to date to help support good causes, with funds raised from the race series in 2018 up by 20% compared to 2017.
The increase in fundraising stems from an expanded race series that saw a record number of runners take part in 2018. This year’s sell-out event attracted more than 8,800 runners, up from 6,800 runners in 2017, who came together to run as more 2,200 teams representing over 400 different companies across Ireland.
The addition of a new location – Galway – to the race series schedule this year brought added fundraising capacity to the event, enabling more companies in the west of the country to take part in what is now Ireland’s largest, and longest-running corporate run event.
Staff participation at Grant Thornton peaked too, with more than 400 Grant Thornton staff signing up to run with teams in Galway, Cork, Belfast and Dublin, up from some 350 staff who took part in 2017.
In addition to all the race activity the CSR fund raising activities included a sponsored walk to Howth and various cake sales.
The amount presented this week to the Simon community in Dublin was €24,350 with the balance being presented to the Simon Community in Belfast by the local Grant Thornton office.
Brian Ingarfield from the Simon Community said: “On behalf of the people that rely on our services each day, the Simon Community wants to say thank you to Grant Thornton and the thousands of companies and runners who took part for your support and commitment to the work that we do. At a time when more people than ever are homeless and facing their darkest hour, this money will go towards the Simon Community’s housing, health and support services to help people on their journey home.”
Michael McAteer, Managing Partner, Grant Thornton Ireland, said: “Grant Thornton would like to thank our colleagues in the business community who helped to make 2018 our most successful corporate race series to date. Everyone brought a sense of fun, healthy competition, good humour and generosity to the event in support of a great cause. Most importantly, by working together as a business community, we have helped the Simon Community to continue the valuable work they do.
Aimed at encouraging social running amongst Ireland’s business community, the event welcomes all abilities, from seasoned runners to beginners. The Corporate Challenge is organised by the national governing body Athletics Ireland whose mission is to support and develop the athletes of Ireland of all ages, disciplines and abilities. Details of the 2019 race series will be announced early next year.