Thank you to RTC North!

As part of its 20th anniversary celebrations, RTC North has announced plans to raise £50,000 for The Welbodi Partnership. The company will host a special charity dinner and auction at Ramside Hall Hotel in Durham on November 10 and marked the start of its fundraising efforts by donating £7,700 to buy a new generator.

Since 1989, RTC North has helped thousands of companies introduce new products, helping create jobs, wealth and a better quality of life for the people of Northern England. CEO, Gordon Ollivere MBE, has a longstanding interest in technology for developing countries having worked as a volunteer in Sierra Leone and Nigeria during the 1970s.

“I am delighted to announce that this year we are celebrating 20 years of working with industry, education and government in the North East," said Ollivere.

“Rather than just having a party, our staff felt it would be much better to mark the occasion by undertaking some fund-raising for a worthwhile charity."

Ollivere continued, “Through our NHS Innovations project we work a lot with medical technologies and both this company and the region have historical links with Sierra Leone. The country’s only university used to be a college of Durham University, and its former Pro-Vice Chancellor and first RTC North chairman was John Clarke who wrote one of the first books about Sierra Leone."

“Sierra Leone has some of the world’s worst child health statistics and because the work of the Welbodi Partnership is having such a massive and recognisable impact we have decided to adopt it as our favoured charity.”

RTC North's first donation will fund a much-needed back-up generator to ensure constant electricity for the hospital. “A big issue for the hospital is the electricity supply is very unreliable," explains Welbodi Director Dr. Matthew Clark. "Currently, when the power fails the hospital is plunged into darkness and essential equipment like oxygen concentrators are rendered useless. The generator funded by RTC North will be a great help and we look forward to the company’s ongoing support.”

For more information on RTC North’s charity dinner and auction visit www.rtcnorth.co.uk or email charity.dinner@rtcnorth.co.uk. To donate direct visit the Welbodi Partnership's online donation page.