rainy day trust update


Thames Path Ultra Challenge raises thousands R


ainy Day Trust CEO, Bryan Clover successfully completed a gruelling 100km non-stop hike last month, raising much- needed funds which will go towards helping the charity


to offer vital support to people within the home improvement, housewares and garden sector amid soaring energy bills. On Saturday, 10 September, Bryan Clover set out from Putney Bridge at the start of the Thames Path Ultra; a mammoth 100km non-stop hike to Henley on Thames, which must be completed in under 24 hours. He undertook the tough challenge in a bid to raise the money


needed to support the Rainy Day Trusts ‘Let’s Save Energy’ campaign, which gives away free low energy items – including LED lightbulbs and eco shower heads – to help reduce energy bills at a time when so many are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis. The event was no small endeavour and, despite 712 hikers


starting the continuous challenge from Putney Bridge on Saturday, as many as 162 withdrew from the race over the course of the day, mostly due to injury. Impressively, Bryan set off at 7:40am and crossed the finish line at Henley on Thames at 5:21am the following morning, having completed the punishing 100km hike in 21 hours and 41 minutes. He placed 240th overall for his route and was extremely proud of this achievement, exclaiming: “When you consider that I was certainly old enough to be most participants’ father, I’m quite chuffed with that placing!” He also thanked the businesses that so generously supported


the hike – Addis Homeware, Cowal Building Supplies, Home Hardware, Kuhn Rikon, Monument Tools, QEP-Vitrex and Workhouse Marketing.


A Christmas message from the Rainy Day Trust CEO Bryan Clover


“Christmas is still ages away, but even in a ‘normal’ year, Christmas can be a difficult time for many. With inflation still high, and energy bills a major worry, now is the time to pre-empt those problems and issues that will raise their ugly little heads in December – worries over food prices, heating and a myriad of other issues. “Here at the Rainy Day Trust we have always taken the view that


prevention is better than cure, and a lot cheaper too. We would far rather spend £500 now helping someone tackle a problem before it takes hold, than £5,000 in a year’s time when their world has imploded. “There are two ways of doing that. Firstly, get your folks to contact us now and ask for a ‘Let’s Save Energy’ pack of free LED lightbulbs, eco shower heads and radiator reflectors. Croydex have just donated 150 shower heads to us! Combined, these bits of low energy tech will help reduce bills by up to £250 a year, every year. Secondly, make them aware that our free telephone counselling service is open to everyone to deal with the worries that are weighing them down. “More importantly, we can come to your offices and talk to people directly. We can do so much more than even the best EAP (Employee


Assist Programme) as people will talk to us openly. Every single time that we visit a business to talk through the whole range of help that we offer, the phone starts to ring on the way home and the conversation inevitably begins with “I didn’t want to say anything in front of the others but…” Happy staff are productive staff. No matter how good an employer you are, there will be things that staff won’t tell you and those things prey on their minds distracting them from the day job. “Everything that we do is completely confidential. In the run up


to Christmas, we can help to reduce worry as well as bills. Get us involved now and stop problems from taking hold.”


To contact the Charity for support, call 0800 915 4627 or email via the RDT website: https://www.rainydaytrust.org.uk/contact-us


To organise for Bryan or Roz at RDT to come and talk to staff, or to discuss partnerships bryan@rainydaytrust.org.uk or call 07939 541289


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September/October 2022


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