Date published: 24 September 2015 by Anna Jackson
On Saturday 5 September, 2,000 individuals took on the Nuts Challenge - a 7km assault course adventure race in Dorking, Surrey. Amongst the brave, stood a team of Rainbow Trust supporters, ready to face the 100 obstacle challenge.
The charity team was made up of smaller groups, including three corporate teams from Blue Rubicon, Genuine Solutions and Vehicle Rental Services – companies who are all current partners of the charity.
The three teams proved that working together, both to fundraise and to take on the challenge, is not only a fantastic way to support Rainbow Trust, but also an opportunity to support each other as a team.
“It was fantastic to see the corporate teams working together, helping each other and showing great resilience during the challenge, it’s a great way for companies to encourage team building and increase motivation amongst their workforce.”
Louise Bingham, Senior Corporate Partnerships Manager at Rainbow Trust.
Surrey-based mobile telecommunications company, Genuine Solutions Group, celebrated reaching a staggering £50,000 in funds raised since 2009 by taking this on as their second Nuts Challenge for the charity.
“Taking on the Nuts Challenge as a team was fantastic for Genuine Solutions, we worked together to get over, under and around the 100 obstacles, showing our support to Rainbow Trust every step of the way.”
Christian McBride, CEO of Genuine Solutions Group.
Vehicle Rental Services, based in Buckinghamshire, made the journey down to Dorking to participate, adding this muddy challenge to a long list of ways in which they have supported the charity, including a donation of a branded van for use by Rainbow Trust’s retail team.
“Ochy, Squelchy, Icky, Yucky, Muddy…We did it!! With a huge thanks to Rainbow Trust organisers making us feel part of a much bigger team and to all the families that they continue to help and support, we did it all for you!!”
Sarah Sweetman, VRS Fleet Sales & Marketing Manager
Not to be outdone, London-based communications agency Blue Rubicon, came back for their second year, with the largest team participating in the event. The 15 strong squad, was all smiles throughout the course, and showed their cheeky side as they struck a team pose on top of the final obstacle - a mountain of hay bales.
“I think we were all pretty nervous about how tough it was going to be, but somehow that brought us closer together and made us even more determined to work as a team, pushing and pulling each other over obstacles and through mud. As it turned out, we all had enormous fun, and felt great to have finished and raised so much money for Rainbow Trust. In the office on Monday morning, it was clear who the ‘nutters’ were – not just because of their rather awkward movements, but also their sense of pride and team spirit, as we shared in comparing our aches and pains.”
Charles Steward-Smith, Director at Blue Rubicon.
The 2015 Rainbow Trust Nuts Challenge Team has smashed the collective £6,000 target, raising double this to date, providing 590 hours of care for families currently supported by Rainbow Trust.
Check out the mud, sweat and tears of all our ‘nutty’ team on our Facebook runners group.