Weymouth and Portland firms support charity lottery (From Dorset Echo)

Weymouth and Portland firms support charity lottery

10:00am Wednesday 8th February 2012 in Business By Joanna Davis

HARD-NOSED business people were moved to dig deep at a chamber of commerce meeting.

Weymouth and Portland businessmen and women were urged to take part in a monthly charity lottery that will raise funds for Dorset patients with cancer and other progressive conditions.

Jonathan Panton, business and e-commerce fundraising manager at the Weldmar Hospicecare Trust told businesses that customers liked to use companies that showed corporate and social responsibility.

He launched Weldmar’s Business 500 Club at a breakfast meeting of the Weymouth and Portland Chamber of Commerce at the Rendezvous in Weymouth.

Firms pay £10 a ticket and have the chance of winning a first prize of £1,000, a second prize of £600, a third prize of £300 and a fourth prize of £100.

Mr Panton said: “We all like to demonstrate to the community that we are community-minded.

“The Business 500 Club is about corporate and social responsibility. Eighty four per cent of people have said they would prefer to buy products and services from a company that shows social responsibility.”

With 500 tickets sold every month, Weldmar will receive £3,000 each month.

That money will fund four days of in-patient care at the Joseph Weld Hospice in Dorchester, four days of home visits by one of the community nurse specialists and four days of day hospice care for one patient.

Participating companies will also have their names added to Weldmar’s Business 500 Club page on its website, giving added exposure to their business and networking opportunities.

Mr Panton showed chamber members a short film of TV star and hospice supporter Martin Clunes explaining the services Weldmar offered.

In the film, Mr Clunes was shown interviewing hospice patients, who told him they feel ‘safe and comfortable’ at the Joseph Weld Hospice in Dorchester.

He said: “We feel that if you support us as business people, we will support your business and everyone’s a winner.”

Geoff Timms, managing director of Comms UK, said: “Martin Clunes gave us some good emotive reasons to help our local hospice.

“I want to add the practical business sense to it.

“When the club is full, which we expect it to be every month, the odds of winning are pretty good.

“Forty per cent of the income is distributed to the prize fund.

“We are hoping for personal support from Martin Clunes and Julian Fellowes. We would love to have the support of Weymouth and Portland businesses entering the draw and to have ambassadors doing what they can to get businesses to enter as well.”

To join the club, see weld-hospice.org.uk/500club or call the fundraising office on 01305 261800.

Look out for news of the Business 500 Club monthly winners in the Echo.