Page 8 - Meadowhall 25th Anniversary: The Star Special Supplement
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8 THESTAR
www.thestar.co.uk Saturday,September5,2015
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Hundreds of Meadowhall staff have signed up a unique pledge initiative to help a host of Sheffield charities and com munities this year, as part of the centre’s 25th anniversary celebrations.
A total of 345 pledges have been made by the centre’s staff - including individuals and teams from all corners ofthe centre - based in senior man agement, security and main tenance, right through to HR and customer service.
Some of the pledges are linked to raising funds for Meadowhall’s chosen charity St Luke’s Hospice, others are commitments to helping lo calcommunitiessuchaslitter picks in Wincobank or taking part in reading schemes at lo cal primary schools.
Some staff have agreed to forfeit their lunch money or join a salary sacrifice scheme
fortheyear.
Others successfully com
pleted the recent Race 4 Life that sets off every year from Meadowhall.
Centre director Darren Pearce said: “We always try to be a good neighbour and sup port a number ofcommunity projects every year but this year is particularly special be cause ofour 25th anniversary.
“I’m particularly proud of the way the staffhave risen to this particular challenge and are really going out of their way to help various Sheffield communities and charities in so many different ways, both financial and practical.”
Tens of thousands of
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Centre director Darren Pearce celebrates with tea dance reaulars
Meadowhall tea dancers en joyed a slice of Meadowhall’s birthday celebrations - liter ally-whenthegroupwerepre sented with champagne and a birthday cake to mark their contribution to the centre’s
community over the years. The Meadowhall weekly tea dance has been running for
an amazing 22 years, bringing people together at the centre to socialise and enjoy ballroom dancing whilst being enter tained by a live band.
The tea dancers swapped their usual cuppa for some thing a little snecial.toasting
their decades ofwaltzing and fox trots with a glass ofcham- pagne and birthday cake, specially delivered by centre director Darren Pearce.
He said: “We have anything up to 100 dancers coming to gether at Meadowhall every Monday for this social gather ing and we’re delighted that it has stood the test oftime.
“It is as popular now as it was, over 20 years ago. We see the tea dance as an important part of Meadowhall and how we can help to bring people to gether,soitwasimportantthat wemadethemDartofour25th
birthday celebrations.
“I was also told my moves
need a little more work, so I might have to come back for somelessonsinthefuture!”
Malcolm, 80, and Marga ret Ashton, 79, have been mar ried for 56 years and have been comingformorethanadecade. Malcolm said: “We love it, we get to see our friends every week, and it isjust perfect.
“We hold raffles for chari ty and can have a tea or coffee, then a dance orjust enjoy the live music.”
George Pearson, 98, is the oldest tea dance regular and
Meadowhallstaffwho tackleda90-milewalkonHadrian’sWallforStLuke'sHospice
pounds have already been raised by various activities, including a recent 90-mile hike following Hadrian’s Wall across the North ofEng land which collected around £10,000 for St Luke’s.
Hundreds of man hours have also been devoted as part of the pledges includ ing 75 hours of litter-picking around Wincobank.
Caroline Jansaker who works in the events team at
Meadowhall, said: “I chose to take part in the Wincobank lit terpickandtheHadrian’sWall challenge and really enjoyed both activities as they were so different.
“I know I was helping dif ferent people in very different waysandthat’swhatthewhole pledge idea is about.”
Other pledges still to come this year include:
■ Assault course challenge
■ Charity football match
■ 24-hour bike ride around Meadowhall
■ Yorkshire team challenge Three Peaks walk
■ Charity clay pigeon shoot ■ Night Strider Event
■ St Luke’s gardening party
■ Volunteering at Darnall Community Carnival
■ Giving up chocolateor wine for a week or a month
■ Walk to work week and do nating cost saving to St Luke’s ■ Sponsored weight loss.
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YEARS OF BRINGING
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Dancers swap their tea for
