SONE's annual staff event raises £1,000 for local charity
SONE’s annual event, held this year at Durham County Cricket club, proved to be a great success for its staff and their partners and raised £1,000 for Give Tilly a Hand, one of the region’s most worthwhile causes.
In similar fashion to the Olympics, a number of gruelling events stretched our four teams to their limits. These included a physically challenging bouncy castle style obstacle course, an egg and spoon race and a (not for the faint-hearted) wheelbarrow race.
Added to that, the teams went head-to-head to compete in ‘Buzz Off’, a most infuriating wire challenge game where making contact with the wire and causing it to buzz eliminates even the strongest of athletes.
Outside of the Olympic event, fun activities open to everyone included crazy golf, a penalty shoot out and a Rodeo bull – especially entertaining when being ridden by those who really entered into the spirit of the theme and dressed up as squaws, cowboys and cowgirls as well as law-keeping sheriffs.
As if this wasn’t enough entertainment for one day, the SONE Olympics concluded with a quiz in the evening and the announcement that the team which had gained the most points from all of the day’s events was The Redstone Cowboys! The evening culminated in true Western style with an appearance by none other than Dolly Parton (well..... a tribute singer with a great voice) and a disco.
More entertainment was to be had with the raffle which provided a selection of prizes of which some were generously donated by the company’s suppliers. Our thanks go to; The Beamish Park Hotel for one nights’ Bed and Breakfast for two people, North East Stationery for six bottles of red wine, Office Team for a bottle of champagne and a briefcase, Clive Owen for a £100 voucher for Finbarr’s restaurant and North East Vending for a chocolate goodie bag.
Speaking about this year’s event, chairman and CEO, Raymond Oliver said:
“The annual event gives us all a chance to meet up outside of work and enjoy a great day and night out. Everyone displayed great camaraderie, not to mention a competitive spirit. Hosting the event is a way of saying thank you to all staff for their ongoing contribution to the development of the company. It is also pleasing to be able to involve their partners.
‘‘Raising a marvellous £1,000 for charity shows the generosity of spirit of our employees. It is especially gratifying in the current economic climate and I thank them all for their contribution.”
