CHARITIES
Here at SDKA, we have always taken pride in supporting local businesses and this is our chance to give back to our community. The past year has seen many organisations face difficult challenges and charities have been amongst those who have been worst hit.
So, we have teamed up with St Ann’s Hospice to do what we can as a team to offer our best efforts and raise funds for the entire month of May 2021; as the charity celebrates their 50-year anniversary.
SDKA Charity Month:
In support of St Ann’s Hospice
St Ann’s Hospice is a local charity (based in Greater Manchester) and provides free care and support for over 3,000 patients and their families and carers every year, who are affected by cancer and non-cancer life limiting illnesses. The aim is to provide the highest levels of support and care to patients – and their carers and families, making a real difference to people’s lives.
17th May 2021 marks a monumental milestone for St Ann’s Hospice; having launched in May 1971, St Ann’s is 50!
St Ann’s is the oldest and largest hospice outside of London and to mark 50 years of providing phenomenal care to the community, the SDKA team is dedicating this month to supporting and raising funds for St Ann’s Hospice! We are truly inspired by the team at St Ann’s who care with great compassion and a big heart.
Support the team with their own challenges!
The SDKA team (Chris, Scot, Sarah, Anish, James, Nisha, Vicky and Kunal) are all in! We have each set our own goals to conquer and we would sincerely appreciate your support! The SDKA team will be taking on different personal challenges from fasting, losing weight, exercising and even standing upside down! Support the team and St Ann’s Hospice by donating on the just giving page and follow our progress on the SDKA LinkedIn and Twitter channels. It is a truly great cause and we hope you can cheer us all on and keep us motivated throughout the month!
Chris
Senior Underwriter
Challenge: Shed Some Pounds
My current lifestyle is no ‘weigh’ to live so our charity month has given me the drive to lose weight; something which I have wanted to do for some time but always seem to save for tomorrow. Supporting such a worthy cause in St Ann’s has given me the incentive that I needed and I will be focused on eating healthier and exercising more. So if I make it, then ‘lettuce’ celebrate with a lovely salad and maybe even a well deserved treat!
I’ll be keeping you posted on my progress so please support me and St Ann’s and ‘doughnut’ worry – I will give it my best shot!
Sarah
Loan Operations Manager
Challenge: 50 minutes a day out of the office
Taking a leaf from Nisha’s book and due to the much more sedentary life style that lock down has brought (as well as a dog with a cruciate ligament injury) I have decided to step it up and complete 50 minutes of walking every day that I am in the office. It is so easy to barely move from your desk, especially at SDKA where we are so incredibly busy, increasing exercise, and getting some fresh air will not only be a benefit for me but for such a worthwhile cause in supporting the incredible work that the St Ann’s Hospice does on a daily basis.
Scot
Head of Operations and In‑House Legal
Challenge: Changing it up with steps and more…
After over a year of lockdown and lagging motivation for my own self care, our charity drive has inspired me to rejuvenate myself with a mind, body, soul challenge.
Mind. Keep calm and get back to yoga! I will get back to my daily yoga routine and will attempt a headstand at the office every Monday to Friday throughout May – so that’s 21 headstands in total. This will not only be a reminder to see things from (quite literally) a different perspective, but I’m also told it’s a natural facelift. Please join me upside down if you can!
Body. I have spent the better part of the year avoiding exercise so for the month of May, come rain or shine, I will be leaving my car at home and walking to and from work every day.
Soul. To mark St Ann’s 50th birthday on the 17th of May, I will fast for 50 hours (with only water to keep me hydrated) starting at 8am on Saturday the 15th of May and finishing at 10am on Monday the 17th of May – just in time for birthday cake!
As the latest member of the SDKA family and being new to Cheadle and the Greater Manchester Area, it’s great to discover the amazing work being done at St Ann’s Hospice for the local community and I couldn’t be happier to support this incredible cause.
Kunal
Managing Director
Challenge: 300km challenge
Having spent more then 10,000 hours flying planes, across circa 5 million nautical miles, I have decided to keep it very much on the ground and am aiming to carry out 300km of active exercise in May; running, swimming, cycling and whatever else keeps him moving!
Join me for a run or cycle and I’ll donate an extra £50….I have all the motivation I need thinking of this inspiring charity but if you end up seeing me crawl by or collapsed on the side of the road, give me a cheer or push along.
Anish
Investor
Challenge: 250km challenge
Over the last year, we have all learnt to work in a more flexible, virtual manner and my aim is to take my mobile working outside of the office and into the fresh air!
I will be running, cycling, swimming and whatever it takes to carry out 250K of active exercise in the month of May! Every extra 25K over this target, I will donate an extra £50. Help keep me motivated and support this fantastic cause!
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James
Technology and Business Support
Challenge: Couch to 5K
Running is definitely my kryptonite when it comes to exercise and I have never considered that running and fun go together in the same sentence but I hope to change that by the end of May as I aim to go from ‘couch to 5K’.
What better motivation is there to get involved and on the trail than there is by celebrating and supporting St Ann’s 50th Anniversary!
I’ll be putting on my running shoes and hopefully sunglasses if the weather holds out (fingers crossed) and aim to run a 5K non stop, wish me luck!
Nisha
Marketing Manager
Challenge: 50 minutes 50 seconds daily workout
Happy 50th Birthday to an incredible charity with a sole focus on providing the best care possible. To support St Ann’s and celebrate their 50th Anniversary, I will be taking myself away from Netflix and chocolate and challenging myself to workout for 50 minutes and 50 seconds every day during our charity month! Please support me – I’ll need it!
Vicky
Compliance
Challenge: Walk 310,000 steps
At the start of 2020 – just before the pandemic hit the UK – I decided to be a little healthier by walking every day around my neighbourhood on the Notts/Derbyshire border. 16 months on the number of steps and the pace of the walk is gradually increasing and I’m enjoying discovering new routes, views and local wildlife. However, as yet the magical average of 10,000 steps a day has eluded me, so now is the time. It will also make me feel better about indulging my love of ice cream!
As well as visiting the SDKA office in Cheadle regularly I have relatives in that area so I’m delighted to be able to support such as worthy cause as St Ann’s hospice.
