Tickled Pink!

Kirkpatrick & Hopes, consulting accountants and business advisers combined their ethic of making work fun with raising money for charity on Friday 21 January 2005.

The company, based in Reading, have an internal focus group called “Fish and Fun.” Their goal is to transform the workplace and break from accountancy routine. Everyone brings energy, passion and a positive attitude to the job every day. In keeping with this philosophy k&h held a Tickled Pink Day and teamed up with “A Full Life” to help raise £10,000 for the charity, “Breast Cancer Campaign”.

Fish and Fun organiser Stuart Evans added, “The idea behind our focus group is to encourage a happy and motivated working environment built on a bubbly atmosphere and great customer service. Fish and Fun was launched in December 2004 and is a concept inspired by a book called ‘Fish!’. The book tells the methods of a real working company in Seattle that makes their business of selling fish so exciting, that local office workers take their lunch breaks to watch them work! – this may be us one day” k&h team members actively participated in the themed day by wearing pink items of clothing and hosted a prize draw courtesy of “A Full Life”, who donated £100 worth of luxury skincare and natural health care products. In keeping with the day k&h provided pink food and drink, that included lemonade, milkshake, cakes and sweets.

Kellie Farragher who was behind the idea said, “The pink day was a resounding success with £402 raised for the Breast Cancer Campaign. I would like to thank all the team, clients and visitors who got involved in the fun and contributed to the monies raised”. Kellie had the responsibility of choosing January’s theme as she was best turned out in December 2004 when k&h staged ‘Red Day.’ Kellie added, “The decision to combine the day with raising money for the Breast Cancer Campaign meant that more of the team were keen to get involved. Breast Cancer has effected most of us, either directly of indirectly, and this was an opportunity for us all to do our bit and make a difference.”

In October 2004 k&h helped to raise £ 3,000 for the Evolution Appeal by teaming up with Ladbrokes for a dog racing evening. In July 2004 the girls in the office completed the Race for Life, held in Prospect Park and raised £1,500. In June 2004 a team was involved in Dragon Boat Racing in Pangbourne. More recently money was raised for the Tsumani Appeal. By being involved with charitable events k&h are developing a team culture that brings enthusiasm and change into what they saw as a “dusty profession”. Currently a team of six are training to take on the 3 peaks challenge in June 2005 in aid of Cancer Research UK