St Ann’s Hospice is calling for businesses to sign up to take on the ultimate corporate challenge this Autumn.

The Accumulator Challenge is back for 2019, supporting St Ann’s as Dragons’ Den meets The Apprentice fundraiser.

Participating businesses will each be given £100 and challenged to turn it into the most profit over a month. Teams will compete throughout October with the aim of becoming The Ultimate Accumulator.

Teams can choose to spend the initial capital of £100 as they see fit – as long as it’s legal – and use their creativity to achieve the most profit over the month.

Last year’s challenge saw teams put on a variety of innovative fundraising initiatives, from bake sales and sweet shops, to static-cycling and climbing Snowdon.

Manchester law firm Clarke Willmott won the accolade of The Ultimate Accumulator, raising an amazing £6,040 for the charity.

Thirty keen staff members saddled up on static bikes at their Manchester offices to cycle the equivalent of visiting each of Clarke Willmott’s offices across the country. The team have signed up to take part again this year.

Emma Hamnett, employment partner at Clarke Willmott, said: “We loved the Accumulator Challenge and, of course, as lawyers, we like to win but the main story here is the amount local businesses can raise in a short period of time when they get together and channel their efforts.

“We stand proudly behind the work St Ann’s does as many of our staff, including me, have had family members needing end of life hospice care.

“It was very humbling to visit the Heald Green hospice on the awards night and hear real life stories about how fundraising really makes a difference.”

Eamonn O’Neal, Chief Executive of St Ann’s, aded: “We’re thrilled that the challenge is back for its fifth year and we can’t wait to see what the teams do this year.

“In previous years businesses have raised over £26,000 for the hospice, which is incredible.

“Everyone who has taken part has really thrown themselves into raising as much money as they could for St Ann’s.

“We’d love as many local businesses to join in as possible for this year’s challenge. The money raised makes a real difference to the lives of the local patients we care for, and their families too.”

Interested businesses can find out more, or sign up to take part, on the St Ann’s website at www.sah.org.uk/accumulator or can call 0161 498 3631 or email corporate@sah.org.uk