Furniture industry businesses stepped up to the mark and raised £270,000 for the Step 2 It campaign run by Furniture Makers’ Company.
This total smashed the £250,000 target for the furniture industry charity’s campaign, which ran from May 2021 to April this year. Step 2 It encouraged companies and individuals from the industry to organise sports-based challenges and events to help the charity boost its financial support for those in the furniture industry hit by the coronavirus pandemic.
Hundreds of people at numerous events around the country got involved with the campaign, which was also supported by industry sponsors.
Commenting on the campaign’s success, FMC immediate past master David Woodward said: “Step 2 It clearly resonated with the industry as the support we received was phenomenal. Every month there seemed to be a new supporter-led event going on, whether it be a staff abseil, 24-hour ping pong tournament, fun run, hike, long-distance cycle, danceathon, charity ball, canal walk – we had the lot.”
He added: “Thank you so much to everyone who organised or took part in a fund-raiser, or if you sponsored someone who was challenging themselves. A very special mention of thanks to our gold, silver and bronze campaign sponsors. Thanks to you all, we surpassed our target.”
Steve Bulmer, managing director of gold sponsor Biesse Group UK, said: “We felt that it was important to support the Step 2 It campaign as a gold sponsor because it’s a fun way of getting people involved with the charity while raising money for this important cause. We wanted to be part of this campaign because not only are we corporate members, but we want to fully support the industry and help those working in it.”
The sponsors were Biesse Group, Blum, Axminster Tools, CDUK, Lamello, KI, Ocee Design, Panaz, the British Contract Furnishing Association, the British Furniture Manufacturers Association, Celtheath, Ercol, Fishpools, Hypnos, the National Bed Federation and Whitemeadow.