SWINDON COMPANIES JOIN FORCES TO GET FUNDRAISING DRIVE OFF TO A STRONG START

The team at events company I Am Promotions has donated a healthy £1,500 to kick start an ambitious fundraising drive called Oscar’s 10 for 10.

I Am Promotions business partners Carl McCulloch and Jack Baverstock raise thousands of pounds for charity each year through golf days and sporting dinners organised through I Am Promotions. When they heard about their friend Karl Paul’s pledge to raise money in memory of his young son Oscar, they didn’t stand idly by.

Businessman Carl, who also has interests in local companies Trak Employment and R9 Facilities Management, visited the office of his fellow entrepreneur and handed over a cheque. 

Karl and his wife Charlotte lost their son Oscar in 2010 when he was born prematurely, and as this year would have been his tenth birthday they are taking on ten challenges to raise at least £10,000 to donate to the Ronald McDonald House in Bristol.

Carl said: “Having been friends with Karl for a long time, growing up together and supporting each other in business, we were keen to help out where we could. Karl and Charlotte have worked tirelessly over the last decade to raise money for RMH and so for us to be able to help them is amazing.”

Karl said: “I’ve known Carl since we were playing junior snooker together and we’ve remained good friends. I’ve always supported him in his fundraising efforts through golfing days and boxing matches and we’re truly grateful for the support he has shown to us by getting Oscar’s 10 for 10 off to this brilliant start.”

“We’re all set to start raising more money,” Charlotte said. “This includes a cake sale at East Wichel School on March 28 and we’re planning several other interesting and challenging events.”

Karl has already registered to take part in the Race to the Stones in Wiltshire; the Mini Military Mud Run and the Bristol Half Marathon. The couple plan to end their challenges by organising a gala in Oscar’s memory in the autumn. Karl is well known in Swindon’s business community as the founder of digital marketing and SEO agency Smarter Media and Charlotte also works in the business. They have three daughters. 

Oscar was born at the Great Western Hospital in Swindon on June 7 2010 at just 25 weeks and two days’ gestation. He was so small he was transferred to St Michael’s Hospital in Bristol to be cared for in their specialist neo natal unit. During his life, Karl and Charlotte stayed at the Ronald McDonald House in Bristol. This charity relies on donations to help families of critically ill children stay nearby free of charge. 

Since that time, the couple have already raised more than £30,000 in Oscar’s memory both for the House and also to buy an incubator for the special care baby unit where Oscar spent his short life. Anyone who wants to support the Paul family can do so by donating here https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/oscars10for10