At EVM UK and Ireland, we were proud to support Crawley Open House this December by taking part in their Operation Secret Santa fundraising campaign. Thanks to the generosity of our team, customers, and partners — and with EVM match-funding every pound raised — we were delighted to present a cheque for £2,229.50 to help fund the charity’s vital front-line work.
Throughout December, we organised a series of fundraising activities, all driven by one goal: giving something meaningful back to a charity that makes a real difference in our community. One of the highlights was our much-talked-about “Pie a Rep” competition. Staff, stakeholders, and customers donated to nominate the sales representative they felt most deserving of a pie to the face. Our Area Sales Manager for the North, Lorna Miller, emerged as the (un)lucky winner — even her own mum contributed, with the message “Love you Lorna xxx.”
Our Chief Operating Officer, Peter Flynn, had the honour of delivering the pie. Having worked alongside Lorna for over five years, Peter summed it up perfectly:
“What can I say, it’s Christmas — and after five years of working with Lorna, I was finally able to give her her just desserts!” The competition raised over £324, which was doubled through EVM’s match-funding commitment.
The fundraising didn’t stop there. Our team baked, washed cars, and even sang live to boost donations. Katie Luckwell, our Area Sales Manager for the South — and a professional singer — hosted a live singing session on TikTok, raising over £180 in donations, which EVM also matched in full.
Our Founder and Managing Director, Danny McGee, worked closely with Crawley Open House throughout the campaign and confirmed EVM’s commitment to matching the total raised by staff and supporters. Danny shared:
“Crawley Open House is a charity that truly changes lives. As a leadership team, we believe it’s important for businesses to support organisations that make such a meaningful impact in their communities.”
We have been proud supporters of Crawley Open House for over 10 years, and the relationship means a great deal to us. Ian Wilkins, Head of Fundraising & Relationships at Crawley Open House, said:
“We used to love having EVM as neighbours for many years and are touched that even though they’ve moved, they continue to support us in so many ways. This amazing donation has given us a real boost and will go straight to our front-line work supporting people who need it most.”
Every night, Crawley Open House provides a safe place to stay for around 60 people who would otherwise have nowhere to go. Alongside accommodation, they offer employability and life-skills classes, drop-in day centres, emergency food parcels, and outreach support for physical and emotional wellbeing. With a 30-year history, the charity also helps around 60% of residents move into permanent accommodation.
We’re incredibly proud of what our team achieved together — and of the fact that, through match funding, every donation went twice as far. Thank you to everyone who took part and helped make Operation Secret Santa such a success.
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