Since 2011 we have been supporting Sparks. Sparks is a UK Charity that funds life-saving research into conditions affecting babies, children and pregnant mothers. In the UK over 3,000 babies die each year before their first birthday and 1 in 30 are born with a condition, which may affect them for life.

At Virgin Active we believe that through our staff and members we can help to fund research that will bring new hope to children and their families.

Objectives

We wanted to fully fund the research project into congenital heart defects (CHD) in newborn babies. A congenital defect means there is a major problem with the baby’s heart at birth.

Why is this project important?

At Virgin Active, we love putting our fundraising support behind causes that improve the lives of children. The competition was tough in the search for our latest charity partner, but Sparks stood out from the crowd very early on. It’s a perfect fit for our business and now that we are working with Sparks, we have the chance to make a real difference to future generations.

Project resources

There are activities going on all the time in our health clubs nationwide including ‘spinathons’, ‘Zumbathons’, fitness boot camps, mass participation events, indoor triathlons and quarterly fundraising events such as “Sparkle of Sparks’. Online donations are all directed through our Virgin Money Giving page.

Project results

We have raised £248, 562 at July 2013 ($370,376 USD). This is enough to fully fund the research project into congenital heart defects (CHD). This is something that everyone connected to Virgin Active is very proud.