RSM in Newcastle has welcomed members of the audit, tax and consulting firm’s national leadership team who took part in an unusual challenge to raise thousands of pounds for The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE).
The bosses attempted to visit all of RSM’s 32 UK offices within 80 hours using as many modes of transport as possible, as part of a DofE Diamond Challenge. The challenge was inspired by Phileas Fogg’s adventures in ‘Around the World in 80 Days’ and was launched at the Reform Club in Pall Mall.
In just four days, the two teams competed to visit RSM’s offices up and down the country, stretching from Lerwick in the North to Southampton in the South.
The teams travelled on wheelbarrows, diggers, Harley Davidson motorbikes and even in a pink stretch Hummer. In Newcastle, the team were challenged to a race using space hoppers, pogo sticks and scooters to reach the office in St James’ Gate.
Kevin O’Connor, RSM regional managing partner for Yorkshire and the North East said: ‘RSM has been a longstanding supporter of the DofE, and the leadership team wanted to do something special to mark the Charity’s Diamond Anniversary year. We had fantastic support from the staff at RSM in Newcastle and we hope that the money we raised will help the DofE continue its vital work in helping young people to gain the skills they need to succeed in life and work.’
Peter Westgarth, Chief Executive of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award said: ‘In our Diamond Anniversary year we are calling on people of all ages to take on a DofE Diamond Challenge and raise funds to help us enable two million more young people to start their DofE by 2020, 400,000 from disadvantaged backgrounds.
‘Since our partnership began in 2006, RSM has been supporting the DofE in many creative ways. This year, as a Headline Diamond Partner and as DofE Diamond Challengers, we’ve seen the RSM team pushing themselves outside of their comfort zones to support our Charity and I can’t thank them enough.’
For the past seven decades, The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award has inspired and transformed the lives of millions of young people across the globe, from all backgrounds and circumstances. From volunteering to physical activities, life skills to expeditions, achieving a DofE Award is a passport to a brighter future, valued by employers and universities.