< Back

Press release:

Ref: OGI0287
5th August 2011

Open GI Team Make a Splash to Raise Vital Funds for Charity

Open GI River Wye Kayaking Team.  From left to right: Ian Hackney, Sam Briggs, 
Waheda Khanam, Tony Aslett, Amanda Bacon, Ian Dole, Steveland Daniels, Naomi Clayson, Steven Kilcline and Phil Swarbrick

A team of employees at Leading Software House, Open GI, took to the water of the River Wye, kayaking downstream in aid of the company’s 2011 chosen charity, Worcestershire Breast Unit Campaign.

The kayaking was a team effort organised by Open GI Development Tester, Steveland Daniels, (pictured above) in which all ten participants completed the 13 mile course on Sunday 24th July. Raising an impressive £520, the kayaking course started in Ross on Wye and finished at Symonds Yat, taking the team 3 hours 58 minutes to complete.

This year, Open GI’s 350 employees are raising valuable funds to support local plans to build a new dedicated breast unit, at the Worcester Royal Hospital. The charity needs to raise £2.5m to create a new facility to be used by men and women across Worcestershire for all breast related issues.

Commenting on the challenge, Steveland Daniels, said: “Kayaking the 13 miles of the River Wye was an exhausting but exciting experience, as we paddled together to complete the course in good time. The weather conditions couldn’t have been better for our challenge and enabled us to smash our target time."

Chris Guillaume, Managing Director, Open GI, said: “I am pleased with the overall team effort from the employees here at Open GI. Well done to those who took part in the kayaking and for raising a significant amount of money for our chosen charity. We are closer to reaching our 2011 target thanks to employees’ efforts so far this year, with future fundraising events due to take place over coming months.

Further donations can be made at http://www.justgiving.com/opengicanoe/

Various fundraising events are taking place this year to help Open GI employees achieve their target of £5,250 during the course of the year.  Upon reaching the target, the Open GI Board will add a further £5,250, making a potential total of £10,500.

Open GI’s next charity event will be the Eden Project Marathon in October. For more information and to make donation please visit http://www.justgiving.com/Darren-Mansell

For More Information about Open GI:
Adele Clarkson
Marketing and PR Manager
Open GI
Tel: +44 (0)1905 754455
email: adele.clarkson@opengi.co.uk

Notes to Editors:

Open GI supplies market leading IT solutions to insurance brokers across the UK & Ireland. With 20,000 users in around 2,000 firms, the company has a 40% share of the UK broker market and is committed to technological innovation. Open GI technology enables personal and commercial lines brokers trading in standard and niche markets to streamline business activity and become more profitable. With a workforce of 350 people and a 30-year heritage, the company enjoys a strong financial performance. For the year ended 31st May 2010 Open GI reported revenues of £35.0 million and an operating profit of £21.1 million.