Claranet staff vote to collect cash for ChildLine’s counsellors

Balls, bike rides and boss-in-a-box to raise £50,000 target

The staff of Claranet, the IT managed services provider, have voted to support ChildLine, the UK's free 24-hour helpline for children in distress or danger, with a calendar of fun fundraising events which aims to raise £50,000 for the charity.

The 2008 fundraising calendar kicked off on February 14th with a day of Valentine themed events and culminates in a Claranet Christmas party in late November. Events will range from the traditional, such as dress down days and quiz evenings, to the more imaginative, like February's "Boss-in-a-box" where members of the Senior Management Team, including Managing Director Michel Robert, were locked in cardboard boxes phoning their contacts to request a "ransom" donation.

We decided to raise money for ChildLine this year after a staff poll, which revealed the majority favoured supporting a children's charity and with ChildLine being a critical service to the community we felt that it was a perfect fit. We hope everyone will have a great time with the 2008 programme of events and that we can break our target of raising £50,000 for ChildLine's unique and indispensable service. Michel Robert, Managing Director, Claranet UK

Claranet's 2008 fundraising programme should be brilliant fun for staff and should raise plenty of money for ChildLine. Companies like Claranet play a crucial part in helping us to support children who may be in terrible distress. The money raised by Claranet will make a real difference by helping us to be there to counsel children as the moment when they most need us.Rebecca Fletcher, ChildLine

For further editorial information or to arrange an interview please email the Claranet press office or telephone 020 7609 1900.

About Claranet

Claranet is a Managed Services Provider with over 11 years' experience in the IT industry. It provides network, hosting and managed application services for its customers, enabling them to focus on their business rather than worrying about their technology.

The Claranet Group comprises 12 offices, 16 datacentres and 600 staff. Its international MPLS core network enables optimal service levels across 6 European countries and the US. As well as this Claranet is carrier-neutral with a proven track record in delivering services to its customer base of over 36,000 organisations. Its high-calibre customers include Airbus, Danone, DeVere Group, EDF Energy and EMI.

Claranet strives for excellence and is committed to delivering the highest quality products and services. Its ISO9001 accreditation, acceptance into the Telecom Networks Framework Agreement and Microsoft Gold Certified Partner status, all recognise Claranet's exceptional track record in providing managed services for businesses and the public sector.

www.claranet.co.uk

About the NSPCC

The NSPCC is the UK's leading children charity specialising in child protection and the prevention of cruelty to children. The NSPCC's purpose is to end cruelty to children FULL STOP. Its vision is of a society where all children are loved, valued and able to fulfil their potential. The NSPCC runs 180 projects and services across the United Kingdom and Channel Islands, including ChildLine, the UK's free, confidential 24-hour helpline for children and young people. The NSPCC helps over 10,000 children and their families every year.