04
February
2015
|
23:00
Europe/London

Match day parking at BT's Doncaster contact centre to net cash for local charities

Volunteers from the call centre are pitching in by swopping headsets for hi-viz jackets

BT’s Doncaster contact centre is offering footie fans travelling to nearby Keepmoat Stadium penalty free parking on match days.

Fans travelling to the stadium, home of the Doncaster Rovers, can avoid falling foul of a parking ticket by paying just £3 and using one of 300 secure parking spaces at the centre instead.

All the money raised will be divided between three local charities: The Eve Merton Trust, Firefly Cancer Support and Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice.

BT staff at the centre voted for local charities with the three receiving the most votes chosen to benefit from the funds raised. Many staff are also giving up their free time to swap headsets for hi viz jackets acting as parking attendants on the match days.

Andy Hall, BT’s regional facilities manager, said: “This struck us as a fantastic way to raise money for local charities as well as providing additional parking for Doncaster Rovers fans. The stadium is quite literally on our doorstep so it made perfect sense.

“So far we have offered parking on three match days raising more than £100. This is great, but we really want to get the news out there so more people know they can park their cars securely while doing their bit for charity. Word is spreading but not quickly enough!”

Doncaster contact centre employs around 800 staff in roles ranging from sale to customer service, with many advisors working on BT Sport in sales and customer service.

Richard Brooks, a team manager at the centre and one of the project team behind the parking scheme, said: “Despite the cold weather all the volunteers are really enjoying getting involved, meeting their fellow Rovers fans as well as those supporting the ‘other side’.

“It is a great opportunity for us to give something back to our local community and so far there has been very positive feedback from the customers. Hopefully we will start getting greater numbers of cars and raise some big sums of money.”

Claire Rintoul, chief executive at Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice, said: “We’re delighted that BT’s Doncaster contact centre has chosen to support Bluebell Wood. We can’t thank the staff enough for their generosity.

“We need over £3 million every year to carry out our work at the hospice. The support from companies such as BT can make a real difference to us and will help us care for the children and families who rely on us.”
Parking will be available from 1pm onwards for the Rovers v Walsall match on Feb 7 and the Rovers v Yeovil match on Feb 14 and then for all further home games until the end of the season in May.

Ends