The HSBC UK Contact Centre hosted its fifth annual charity auction as staff and their families and friends tried to outbid each other for a good cause. The evening auction raised over €2,000 for Europa Donna, the European breast cancer coalition.
Originally starting out as an in-house effort to support social causes, the auction has grown over the last five years, with this year’s attendees and auction items outnumbering previous years.
At least 30 businesses and establishments around Malta donated items, ranging from dine-out vouchers and getaway deals to artworks created by the centre’s own staff. Up for grabs were close to 60 items as participants jostled to snap up the prizes at the start of each new bid.
People experience manager Richard Powell, who energised the participants with his well-known wit, said: “Considering we raised a meagre €500 in our first year of charity auction to over €2,000 this time, the continued enthusiasm of staff in chipping in to support worthy causes is laudable. The event also serves to raise awareness that living and surviving with cancer of any kind is indeed possible.”
Europa Donna Malta president Gertrude Abela, a breast cancer survivor for 15 years, said: “The centre’s good work and the funds it has been making available to Europa Donna Malta are a solid pillar of support to our organisation. The money received will be used to sustain further education and research in the area of breast cancer.”
Participant Kevin Krishnan, who has attended the event each year and who was first introduced to the event by his wife, an employee at the centre, said:
“As someone who has known cancer patients and survivors around myself, my main aim to attend the centre’s annual charity auction is to be part of the support network available to cancer patients. Each year, I try to participate and each year I try to bring a new set of friends to join in.”
The centre regularly organises fundraising and awareness activities to support the society it operates in, while its staff are encouraged to volunteer in the community.
Established in 2006, the centre in Swatar assists UK account holding customers.