More than 100 underwriters and brokers gathered in the Old Library at Lloyd's today for the official launch of Lloyd's Charity Challenge.
Eleven teams from the Lloyd's market are taking part in the month long charity competition organised by Lloyd's Community Affairs team. Each of the teams competing in the challenge will be raising awareness and funds for Lloyd's Charities Trust's partner charities: Coram, Farm-Africa and Samaritans.
Laying down the challenges and assessing the teams' progress each week is Lloyd's Chairman, Lord Levene and fellow judges: Holly Bellingham, Chairman of Marketform and Graham White, Deputy Chairman of Lloyd's and Argenta Syndicate Management.
Throughout the competition the teams will be required to devise inspiring and wallet-opening ideas to raise as much money as they can for their allocated charity. They will also face a few surprises along the way from the judges that may help them seize an advantage over the other teams.
Kicking off the launch, Lord Levene gave the teams their instructions for the first task - a dash around the Square Mile to destinations linked to the three partner charities. Their efforts were rewarded with a variety of items to help kick start their fundraising efforts.
The team that raises the most money will be crowned 'Challenge Champions' at the final event on 8 July. A 'Challenge Creatives' accolade will also be awarded to the team that the judges feel has taken the most innovative approach to their fundraising efforts.
The teams taking part in the month long quest are Alsford Page & Gems, Argenta Syndicates, Beazley, Canopius, Chaucer Syndicates, Hiscox, Liberty Syndicates, Lloyd's Market Operations & North America, Lloyd's Market Reserving & Capital, Marketform and Willis.
Speaking at the launch event, Lloyd's Chairman Lord Levene said; "I am pleased to see so many teams from the Lloyd's market taking part in the Charity Challenge. The Challenge will test their determination, creativity and organisation - and all the other skills they bring to work each day. I and my fellow judges are looking forward to seeing how they fare and how much money they can raise for our partner charities."
The money raised by the teams supporting Coram will go towards helping to extend their work with children, young people and their families in London including their pioneering Concurrent Planning Adoption Programme.
The money raised for FARM-Africa will go towards transforming the lives of rural farmers and their families in East Africa. FARM-Africa works at the grassroots to help farmers to find long term solutions to hunger and to improve their livelihoods.
Finally, the money raised by the teams for Samaritans will go towards their work of providing confidential emotional support, 24 hours a day, for people who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair.
The competition will run from 3 June until 8 July and information about the judges, the charities and profiles of all the teams are available at http://www.lloyds.com/About_Us/Corporate_responsibility/Charity/Lloyds_charity_challenge/