How RVT have been fundraising for the BLF
RVT are a specialist hire company, offering noise, dust and fume control solutions to the construction industry. Katie, who organises RVT’s fundraising, shares how their organisation has been protecting people from debilitating occupational health conditions and how they’ve been fundraising for the BLF since 2018.
We are not your average hire company
RVT Group are an ethical company that genuinely care for people's lives and it is our mission to protect the long-term health of all those on site or nearby.
Exposure to uncontrolled hazards, such as dust and fume, can lead to devastating occupational lung disease further down the line. The HSE (Health and Safety Executive) states that every year 12,000 deaths are caused by occupational lung diseases, primarily COPD, Lung Cancer and Mesothelioma. At RVT Group, we believe that everyone deserves to go home healthy, and our aim is to change these statistics.
Everyday we help protect people from debilitating occupational health conditions
We offer the best practice extraction and filtration solutions to the construction industry. Furthermore, we continuously raise awareness of respiratory health conditions that can be caused by construction activities. We do this by running webinars, conferences, toolbox talks, CPD presentations and more – all completely free of charge. We hope, by continuing to raise awareness of hazards on site and driving forward change, we can achieve a world where the impact of site work on life and health is effectively zero.
However, for those who are already living with these conditions, we believe they should have access to the best support possible. RVT Group is proud to support a wide range of charities and causes, of which BLF is a staple. We also support Cancer Research UK, Action on Hearing Loss and many others.
Our fundraising
RVT began fundraising for BLF in 2018. In our first year we raised £3,004, followed by £1,200 in 2019 and a total of £6,087.50 in 2020.
Every year, our major fundraising event is the Couch to 5K, which all of our staff look forward to. In 2020 it was originally planned to take place at the local running track, however due to Covid-19, this was cancelled and we had to get creative! In the absence of a running track, staff members embarked on long, socially distanced walks, jogged on their treadmills and completed multiple laps of their gardens. Distances were tracked via pedometers and exercise apps and everyone really embraced this challenge.
This year we are taking part in the Couch to 5K challenge again and are also hoping to raise money for BLF at an upcoming industry digital event. We have donated over £10,000 in the last three years. Could we reach £15,000 in 2021? Watch this space!
Why we fundraise for the BLF
We are an ethical company who wants to achieve a world where the impact of site work on life and health is effectively zero. We believe this can be achieved by following our six company values: delivering excellence, can do attitude, enthusiastic and positive, honest and accountable, respect for all and care for others. Under our care for others value, we pledge to donate to a range of charities whose focuses align with our own. As BLF provides vital support to those now suffering with occupational lung disease, we are proud to fundraise for this charity.
The work BLF does is invaluable. Across the country, they have built up a strong support network of 22,000 people who are there for those who need them. Not only do they provide comprehensive free information about coping and living with a range of lung conditions, but they also facilitate over 200 support groups across the country for those living with lung conditions. Their helpline answers more than 20,000 calls a year, and demand is continuously increasing due to COVID-19.
Without vital fundraising these calls could not be answered and these support resources would not be available. By fundraising for BLF you are enabling this fantastic support network to continue growing and helping the people who need it most.
Earlier this year. Grace , who is part of our Research + Innovation team, challenged herself to walk 100 miles in March to raise money for Asthma + Lung UK. After signing up, she had the surprising realisation that she was one of the one in five people in the UK who will be diagnosed with a lung condition in their lifetime. Here she tells us about her staggering diagnosis of tuberculosis and her fundraising journey.