01
June
2018
|
16:17
Europe/London

BT staff in Belfast pitch in to take calls for Soccer Aid

Summary
100 members of BT staff, friends and family are turning their Belfast office into a Soccer Aid pledge centre on Sunday 10th June in aid of Unicef. They've volunteered to answer calls, whilst two star-studded teams – Robbie William’s England and Usain Bolt’s World XI - battle it out on the pitch. So, if you make a donation by phone, there’s a sporting chance your call will be answered in Belfast.
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If you’re planning to donate money to Soccer Aid on Sunday 10 June, there’s a sporting chance your call might be answered in Belfast.

That’s because around 85 big-hearted BT and EE staff members are turning their offices in Telephone House on May Street into a Soccer Aid pledge centre for the evening – with friends and family helping out with food and charity prize raffles.

They will be giving up their free time to answer calls, whilst two star-studded teams – Robbie William’s England and Usain Bolt’s World XI - battle it out at Manchester’s Old Trafford stadium. The teams this year will include Michael Owen, Gordon Ramsay, Paddy McGuiness and Mo Farrah.

All public donations to Soccer Aid will support Unicef's charity work, protecting children in the UK and around the globe. An incredible £24 million has already been raised through the event over the last 10 years. The Government has promised to match every donation and double the total sum raised.

In 2006, pop star Robbie Williams, who is a Unicef UK Ambassador, and Jonathan Wilkes came up with the idea of Soccer Aid. Robbie has captained the England team ever since.

Michelle McCusker, Business Sales Manager and Volunteer Coordinator for BT in Northern Ireland, is helping to coordinate activities at the Belfast contact centre.  She says: “The excitement around the office is building as we get closer to the big match. It’s great that so many employees from different parts of the company have given up their own time and volunteered to take calls.

“Local businesses have been a great support and have been donating some brilliant prizes that we will be raffling on the night, with all the proceeds going to Unicef.”

Elsewhere, BT Group volunteers will also be running Soccer Aid pledge centres in Lancaster, Cardiff and Truro.

The star-studded Soccer Aid match will be broadcast live on ITV from 18:15 on 10 June. Donations can currently be made on the Soccer Aid website and phone lines will open on the night.

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For more information please contact Rosy Billingham, PR Manager for BT in Northern Ireland on 07968 904635 or email: rosy,billingham@bt.com