THERE’S MORE to Sure than telecoms by ELAINE DORAN, THE SURE FOUNDATION J
ust as there are many aspects to every person, so there are different facets of every company. Sure is no different, and with over 60 people working in its Jersey business, as well as tens of
thousands of customers throughout the island, we understand that as an organisation, we are privileged to play an important role in the island’s community.
As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of Sure’s launch in Jersey, it’s an opportune time for us to look back and remember not just our business successes but also the work we have done to support community life in the island.
Being a company that is lucky enough to count people of all ages and backgrounds as our customers, some of our most successful work has been through the sponsorship of major events that give people a chance to celebrate life in Jersey.
Both our support for Ice Skate Jersey and Sure’s Big Gig in the Park have given islanders the opportunity to really enjoy themselves by taking part in something that isn’t ordinarily available in the island.
Tens of thousands of people have enhanced their Christmas celebrations by taking to the ice at Ice Skate Jersey. Some have put on skates for the first time, others have used the month-long festival to brush up on a sport that they’d not previously been able to enjoy over here.
Sure’s Big Gig in the Park has used our long summer days as the backdrop to an event that
has brought some of the hottest properties in the music industry to perform in the island.
Amazingly, in his 60 year career, Tom Jones had never performed in Jersey. That was, until he agreed to play at Legends in the Park. Human League and Marc Almond performed in 2016, followed the next day by Jess Glynne and Fleur East at the Big Gig. The crowds loved them and we’re already looking forward to two more great shows this summer.
Fundraising just became easier We are proud that we play a key role in putting on events which bring joy to thousands of islanders but our sponsorship isn’t limited to large projects, we also support smaller events and organisations.
Our funding of Music in Action has enabled teachers to create choirs in schools. We’ve helped make Christmas even better by sponsoring St Helier Angels (people who help others in town during the festive period) and we’ve added a bit of sparkle to summer by giving away free ice lollies to islanders at locations throughout Jersey from our Sure branded ice cream van last year. We’ve also used our expertise to bring technology to the Island Walk and enter many events ourselves, such as the Standard Chartered Marathon.
Until now, one thing Sure hasn’t had in Jersey is a dedicated fundraising mechanism that will help us provide even more support for community causes, particularly those that help children.
Coinciding with the celebration of our first ten
years in Jersey, September’s launch of the Sure Community Foundation has given everyone who works at Sure, a system through which they can raise funds that will be given to organisations chosen by our staff.
Even before the official launch, we had begun raising funds through simple methods like running a weekly staff tuck shop and donating all profits to the Foundation.
Ten members of the Sure staff have also donated their time by volunteering to read to children at local schools. Just one hour every month makes a huge difference to both the children and our volunteers, who hugely enjoy the experience.
By opening the Sure Community Foundation in Jersey, it has also become easier for us to make regular donations to local charities because we can now donate directly from our salaries to the Foundation.
Alongside other forms of fundraising, we hope that the Jersey branch of the Foundation will be able to make as much of a positive impact on the island as it has in Guernsey where tens of thousands of pounds have been donated to scores of charities in just four years.
We want the Foundation’s work in Jersey to be just as effective. With luck, in ten years’ time we’ll not only be celebrating another birthday but also the donation of thousands of hours and tens of thousands of pounds to deserving organisations throughout the island.
20/20 - The Island Page 97
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