BT staff in Doncaster answer charity call from Father Christmas

BT staff from across South Yorkshire are counting down to Christmas by helping people around the UK raise money for good causes.

BT’s Doncaster Contact Centre on Lakeside Business Park will be transformed into a pledge centre on Friday, December 18, to support ITV’s Text Santa fund-raiser.

Around 70 BT employees – many of which are based in the building but some volunteers have travelled - have volunteered to man the phones from 7-11pm and will be swapping their normal work attire for Christmas jumpers to get themselves in the festive spirit.

This year Text Santa is raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support, Make-A-Wish UK and Save the Children. The volunteers in Doncaster and around the country will process donations via MyDonate, BT’s free online fund-raising service for UK charities.

Staff at Doncaster regularly take part in charity telethons such as Children in Need and Comic relief and enjoy the excitement and buzz created by such big events.

As well as giving up their own time to take calls from people wanting to donate to Text Santa, BT staff are also doing their own fund-raising.

Sam Donnelly, who works at BT’s Doncaster contact centre, is helping to co-ordinate the Text Santa arrangements.

She said: “We’ve got a fun-packed evening planned for everyone involved and their families, who are being encouraged to come along and support the fund-raising - with a raffle to win a Real Madrid top signed by Gareth Bale, games, refreshments and face painting among the many other activities.

“It’s a real team effort – within BT and the wider community. As well as the colleagues who are giving up their evening to take calls, there will be lots of other people on hand to ensure everything goes smoothly - in the days leading up to Text Santa, as well as during the event itself.

“We’d also like to say a massive ‘thank you’ to Costco for their kind donations and Domino’s for some great offers on pizza’s for all of our volunteers.”

The Doncaster centre office, which employs around 1,000 people in South Yorkshire, is one of three BT centres taking part - colleagues in West Bromwich and Dundee will also be running pledge centres.

BT is also a long-term supporter of the BBC’s Children in Need, Comic Relief and Sport Relief telethons, providing the MyDonate platform, technical expertise, network support, volunteers and other help.

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