toob employees brave Solent swim to support local charities

Full-fibre broadband provider, toob, continues to make waves with its fundraising efforts, as two of its employees completed a sponsored open water swim in aid of local charities.

On Saturday 21st September, toob team members Taylor Ward and Lorenzo Chicca took on the chilly 16.8-degree waters of the Solent, swimming 1k in under 20 minutes. Their efforts raised funds for Solent Mind and The Rose Road Association, two charities providing vital support in the region.

The event was part of the Southampton Boat Show, an internationally recognised showcase that draws in large crowds. Organised by The Rose Road Association, the swim helps raise money for the charity, which is based in Southampton and supports young people with disabilities and their families.

In addition to supporting The Rose Road Association, toob’s swimmers also raised money for Solent Mind, the local branch of the national mental health charity Mind. Solent Mind provides mental health services and advocacy across the Solent area.

toob has a proud history of supporting local causes. Last year, the company sponsored local firefighters, Stuart Vince and Craig Sadler, as they rowed across the Atlantic, raising more than £16k for Solent Mind and The Fire Fighters Charity.

This year’s event saw more personal involvement from toob’s leadership team. Inspired by last year’s efforts, Chief Financial Officer Mike Banwell tackled a gruelling 100km Jurassic Coast Walk, while CEO Nick Parbutt took on the iconic Spinnaker Tower abseil to raise money for Solent Mind.

Speaking after the event, Nick Parbutt said: “Congratulations to Taylor and Lorenzo on their superb achievement. toob has supported Solent Mind over the last few years, and it’s great that Taylor and Lorenzo have added The Rose Road Association to the community organisations we support.”

Taylor Ward added: “I’m so proud of our achievement today. It’s amazing to be able to raise money for such fantastic local charities like Solent Mind and The Rose Road Association.”

Chloe Atkins, Head of Fundraising at The Rose Road Association, said: “The money raised from this exciting ‘dip in the docks’ will help us deliver more emergency respite and support to families in crisis.”

For those interested in donating, you can support The Rose Road Association at JustGiving, or Solent Mind at JustGiving.