Hartlepool firm's £5,000 boost to charities

Qualitech Environmental Services decided not to hand out any marketing freebies when it exhibited at the Recycling and Waste Management trade show.

Instead, the firm, which is based at the town’s Tofts Farm Industrial Estate, asked visitors to their stand to drop their business cards into a hat and drew out three – winning a main prize of £3,000 and two others of £1,000 each – with the winners nominating their favourite charity to receive the money.

Qualitech services director Matt Dodd said: “We thought that instead of giving out things with our logo on we would use the marketing budget for good causes.

"We do a lot of work to support different causes and this gave us the chance to extend the opportunity to those attending the event.”

The lucky winner who scooped the £3,000 was Heather Foo, of metal and waste recycling company Ward, based in Ilkeston, in Derbyshire, and the cash will go to the Rainbows children’s hospice in Loughborough, Leicestershire.

Min Bawa, senior transport manager at Ward, has two children, Aveena and Nevaiah, who were both born prematurely and need specialist care, also raised a further £1,711 as thanks for Rainbows’ support.

Hayley Purser, corporate partnerships fundraiser at Rainbows, said: "We are so grateful to Min and his family, Ward and Qualitech for combining their fundraising activities and supporting Rainbows in this way.”

Another of the winners is donating £1,000 to a guides group while the third has yet to decide which charity will get the cash.