An Aberdeen-headquartered subsea and marine recruitment specialist has doubled its fundraising target after a grand slam start to its charity campaign.
ETPM raised more than £3,350 for three local charities in the first weekend of its annual Six Nations Rugby Tournament Super Saturday Sweepstake.
The figure has already surpassed the firm’s goal of £2,000 and is an 111% increase on the total raised last year.
Now, in the lead up to the second weekend of rugby action, ETPM has set its led a new target of £4000 and is calling on clients, friends and supporters to help them cross the fundraising try line.
The money raised, which comes from admission fees and donations, will go to Aberdeen North Foodbank, NHS Grampian Endowment Foundation and Alzheimer Scotland.
The Six Nations got underway last weekend with England losing to Scotland on home soil for the first time in 38 years.
In the other games, France thumped Italy and Wales edged out Ireland.
It’s the sixth year the firm has organised the sweepstake, which has raised more than £10,000 in that time for good causes.
Previous recipients of funding have included the Wooden Spoon, the Bill McLaren Foundation, Roxburghe House and Befriend a Child, as well as a number of small, local rugby clubs.
Participants in the sweepstake have to predict the winner of each match in the Six Nations tournament and also Scotland’s overall points total.
The event will culminate on Saturday, March 20th in line with the end of the tournament.
Jay Smith, recruitment manager at ETPM, said: “We have been blown away by the generosity of participants so far.
“Given the challenges that everyone has been through over the past year we thought that the target of £2000 was ambitious, but to exceed it by so much after just the first weekend of rugby is fantastic and we’re looking forward to building on that as the tournament progresses.
“2020 was difficult for many of us, but many charities in particular have really suffered with the impact of the pandemic drastically reducing donations and their ability to hold fundraising events. This is especially hard in a year where their services are needed more than ever before.
“That’s why we really want to raise as much as possible for this year’s nominated charities. It is too late now to enter the sweepstake but we continue to invite donations. These should be made here.”