Six Degrees Group, a provider of integrated data managed services, has raised £42,000 in one week for HOPEHIV through its CSR programme, Six Degrees of Hope. The funds were collected after the company successfully completed two fund raising events in October, a golf day and 70-mile bicycle ride.

HOPEHIV is a charity supporting children and young people in sub-Saharan Africa who have been orphaned or affected by HIV/AIDS. The cause aims to help and lead change in families, communities and countries for a better life.

Since the launch of the programme in October 2011 last year, the group has raised over £80,000. Earlier this year, the Six Degrees of Hope Champions visited several projects in Tanzania supported by HOPEHIV. This included the ‘Sparrow’s Nest‘, where the money raised so far by Six Degrees of Hope has ensured that 400 children now have access to education, vocational, training, counselling and protection all supplied through the community centre.

When visiting the region, Jemma Pink, one of the Six Degrees Group Hope Champions, said, “It was truly inspiring to visit the projects to see how far our money goes. To open a new school and community centre with our name on the plaque, and know that you are making a difference to hundreds of young lives, is profoundly humbling.”

A video diary from the trip has been posted on the 6DG website: http://www.6dg.co.uk/blog/tanzania-video-diary.

Mark Glen CEO, HOPEHIV sees Six Degrees of Hope as a partnership. Commenting, he said: “Aside from the obvious financial and practical benefits, the partnership has provided invaluable experience for us. Working alongside Six Degrees Group we have developed and implemented a CSR strategy for the company from scratch. The partnership provides an opportunity for employees to unite behind a common vision and to also build better relationships with their colleagues through fundraising activities.”

Alastair Mills, CEO, Six Degrees Group, concluded: “I am immensely proud of our relationship with HOPEHIV and the work we have done together through the Six Degrees of Hope initiative. It is a privilege to support a group of such talented and committed people at HOPEHIV and to witness first-hand how they are providing hope to a generation of young people in Africa. It is a relationship we all take very seriously and I am delighted by the amount of money raised so far by the Six Degrees team.”

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About HOPEHIV

HOPEHIV is about the generation of hope. We support children and young people in sub-Saharan Africa who have been orphaned or affected by HIV/AIDS. Rather than dismissing them as helpless victims, we believe they have the potential to lead change in their families, communities and countries and create a better future for Africa. www.hopehiv.org.

About Six Degrees Group

Six Degrees Group is a privately owned managed data services provider serving UK mid-market customers. The Group has a converged services portfolio – including data centre, connectivity, voice and cloud offerings – designed to help companies meet the challenges of a connected, always-on world.