Former Manchester United stars Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke teamed up with DHL employees on Friday 18th November to help raise more than £126,000 for the BBC Children in Need 2011 appeal.
DHL, Official Logistics Partner of Manchester United, gave its main call centre at East Midlands Airport to Children in Need for the night, and over 200 employees from across the business were on hand to answer calls and take donations along with the Manchester United legends.
The ex-United strike duo added some stardust to proceedings, and were accompanied by the Premier League champions trophy for DHL volunteers to enjoy. Along with taking phone donations, DHL also held local fundraising events during the evening, such as a charity auction of items including a signed Manchester United shirt.
The call centre took over £116,000 worth of donations on the night; with at least another £10,000 being raised through the activities and charity auction.
DHL's Customer Services call centre was selected by the charity for its high service standards and extensive experience as it manages over 3 million calls a year, making it well equipped to man the phone lines from 7pm until 12.30am on Friday. DHL is supporting Children in Need for the third year running having raised £6,500 in 2010. The call centre at East Midlands was one of the largest used in this year's appeal.
Andy Cole said:
"It's a pleasure to help raise money for a great cause like Children in Need. It has extra significance for me because I grew up not far from here in Nottingham, so I hope we can do our bit to improve the lives of kids in this area and across the country."
Gary Redman-Schaffer, Managing Director of Customer Services said:
"We are proud to be involved with Children in Need for the third year running, it's such a worthy cause. All of our staff are into the fundraising spirit again this year, and are delighted to be joined by Andy and Dwight for what promises to be a successful night.
"Millions of disadvantaged children across the UK are set to benefit from the nation's generosity, and managing these calls is crucial to making sure this money reaches those who need it most."