Trying to do our bit

Bit of a deep breath, here. We’ve not written about our charitable involvement on our website before, and we’re a bit concerned that doing so now will sound like we’re bragging.

Obviously, we take pride in giving something back, but not because we’re trying to make people think we’re worthy and impressive, but because we just think it’s the right thing to do.

So we’ve decided to run with the section to tell you a little more about the incredible work of the charities we support, and in hope that everyone who hears about that work will feel motivated to do their bit too.

If you represent a charitable organisation and would like to find out more about our policies and packages, please contact us.

Who we support, and how

In the last year, we’ve donated over £65k in cash and gift vouchers to good causes, and our total fundraising contributions rise to over £100k when other activities are taken into account. Here are a few highlights showing where it all went.

Prince’s Trust

The Prince’s Trust is a magnificent organisation, and we’re doing what we can to support their mission to help launch young people into well ordered careers. In 2008, we partnered with the trust to launch ‘Million Makers’ providing the perfect venue for 400 participants to bond while swinging in the trees.

Gorilla Organization

We’re one of the official sponsors of this annual London-based run. In 2008, 108 Go Ape staff and customers dressed up as gorillas and ran through the capital, raising £35,000 for the Gorilla Organization. Click here to see Go Ape in action at the Great Gorilla Run 2008 or Click here to sign up and see how you can get involved.

Global Canopy Programme

We support these guys as we look to minimise the environmental impact of Go Ape. They put together the forest educational boards dotted around our sites, and we provide them with a donation of £5k a year to help fund their work in forest canopy research, education and conservation

Jubilee Sailing Trust

We’re always looking for ways to make our courses more accessible, and we love the JST because it brings able-bodied and disabled people together on tallship voyages. We supply an annual bursary of £5k that helps the financially disadvantaged take part, and send our staff to make up the numbers when the ships are short on crew.

‘Thanks a Million’

In 2008, we celebrated our one millionth customer by giving each Go Ape centre £1k to donate to a charity of their choice. Charities chosen included; East Anglian Air Ambulance, Keswick Mountain Rescue Team, Acorns Children’s Hospice and the Foundation for the Study of Infant Death.

Watch video footage of the day here.

Sponsored events

We’re often approached to hold charitable events at our sites, and where possible, we try and sort something out. In 2009, we’re supporting The Stroke Association in a national series of fundraising events across 12 of our courses. We’re hoping this will raise lots of money for them.

Unfortunately the total budget for 2009 is now taken. In 2010 we will be looking for another national charity who share our ethos in improving peoples lives through living life adventurously and turning I can't in to I can. Please contact us if you run national, sponsored events and would like to be the charity for 2010.

Gift Vouchers

This year we’re going to repeat last year’s pledge of giving away £40,000 worth of Go Ape gift vouchers that can be sold in fundraising auctions and raffles. If you’d like to apply, please click here, but please don’t apply if you’re a school or project working with under 10s. Because Go Ape has a minimum age of 10, we have a policy of supporting only projects and charities that meet the needs of the over 10s.