Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity benefits from fundraiser

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Kirsty Gallacher joined ASK staff for the Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity fundraiser
Kirsty Gallacher joined ASK staff for the Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity fundraiser

Hundreds of ASK Italian staff across the country came together in the London Docklands to compete in a special dragon boat race to mark a new wave of fundraising for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity.

Sporting their best sailor hats and mermaid costumes for a nautical themed fundraiser, over 300 head office staff, restaurant team members and suppliers from as far afield as Scotland and Wales joined together for the ‘Row your ASK off’ day.

An impressive 29 teams went head-to-head in the race and were joined by TV presenter Kirsty Gallacher, who met with team members and handed out medals and prizes.

Kirsty said: “It was so lovely to be part of this fantastic event and meet so many fundraisers from ASK Italian, they really embraced the theme and got stuck into all the activities! What a great way to support Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity, it’s such a worthy cause.”

ASK Italian has already raised £1million for GOSH Charity as a result of 10 years of fundraising events, activities and initiatives across all of its UK restaurants.

This year staff are kickstarting efforts to raise a further £1m towards vital parent accommodation, just a stone’s throw away from the hospital.

This accommodation provides a home away from home for families whose children are receiving critical care in the hospital.

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Kirsty Gallacher joined ASK staff for the Great Ormond Street Children’s Charity fundraiser

Harry Heeley, ASK Italian’s managing director, who captained one of the boats, said: “We are all immensely proud to raise money for GOSH Charity, an organisation that has helped so many families in need across the UK.

Tim Johnson, chief executive of Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity, added: “We would like to say an enormous thank you to everyone who took part in the rowing event, it was great to see so many ASK Italian staff come from across the UK to support the charity and what a fantastic atmosphere it was.

“All the money ASK Italian staff, customers and suppliers raise will go towards vital accommodation close to the hospital which means that families can be at their child’s bedside within minutes, at whatever time of the day and night, something which is so important to the lives of seriously ill children and their families who are cared for at GOSH.”