As part of my job as Franchise Director within Peter Vardy Ltd I have spent the past number of years telling my teams that “giving back to the communities in which we serve is so important" and that they need to make a big effort to raise money for our charity partners  - get off their bums and do something valuable every quarter to show our support for those less fortunate but in the past two years I have not done enough myself to help  out as days in the motor trade rarely last less than 12 hours and it’s tough to fit sleep in let alone raise some much needed cash.

Well this year will be different, I promise, and I have challenged the 150 people in my team to come up with monthly challenges to take me out of my comfort zone and I commit whole heartedly to complete each one without as much as a grumble and hopefully, if the team give it some thought, I could maybe help a few folk out along the way - here is what I’ve signed up to so far for 2019:

January - Bucket collections  in Buchanan Gallaries Sunday's to help a Glasgow deafness charity - Deaf Connections.

February - Join T4TH in Cardogan street in the evening to support local homeless people by setting up stall with food, clothes and friendly chat between "City Slicker 6.00pm" & "Clubbers 10.00pm" when these folk feel safe coming out.

March - Friday 29th I will be supporting the “Teen Challenge” guys at central station Glasgow - really looking forward to this !

April - Volunteer at “The Yard” (OK I was a few days late for April!) but we did manage to sort about 60ft of fencing for the guys in one morning and saw the team set up for the kids arriving - it was great !

May -  Glasgow Race for Life (??) 

June - Dundee Salvation Army are working on a rehousing project for us with a view to us being asked to refurbish some “temporary/interim” housing - TBC

July - Abseil off the Forth road bridge at an annual fund raising event for The Yard Dundee

August - Busking in Buchanan street for ten minutes (I will move this one up the calendar until I reach £3k raised then will have the courage but I need more fundraising encouragement)

September - Team to nominate

October - Team to nominate

November - Support our businesses in Glasgow and Dundee with a day of mad fund raising for Children in Need.

December - Team to nominate

Although some of my challenges may or may not in themselves help to raise money for an individual cause, I am looking for my friends, colleagues, partners, associates and family to recognise that a 12 month commitment to helping the kids at The Yard Dundee (check them out), deserves your support and I am begging you to get me to target across the next 12 months by donating and hopefully sharing with your own connects - lets do something thankless this year and get these amazing guys £5,000 in the kitty!

Many thanks to everyone

Darren :)