Double your money’ challenges mayor as D&G's Brighton call centre takes Sport Relief donation calls
July 2006
Mayor of Brighton and Hove, David Smith, took the first call on 15th July when D&G volunteers manned 60 lines and collected Sport Relief pledges which, by the end of the evening, totalled a massive £47,822. And the Mayor challenged the first caller to double his money, offering to match the pledge if he did. So it was that £10 became £20, which became £40 when the Mayor added his gift.
Fully coached in agent skills by organiser and Head of Operations, Matt Stevens, and with the guiding hand of agent Holly Schofield sitting alongside, the Mayor took the call ten minutes after the lines opened. Brighton MP, David Lepper, assisted by Diane Livesey, sat next to the Mayor to take calls.
But the Mayor didn’t take the prize for taking the most donations. That fell to D&G's Jamie Stevens, who notched up £3,865 in pledges, including one of three £1,000 gifts made on the night, to win the competition for receiving the highest amount.
Earlier in the day, six team members ran the Brighton Mile alongside Jo Brand, Henry Cooper and Big Brother’s Chantelle Houghton and Jade Goodey.
The Brighton team were pleased pleased with the results. As Matt Stevens says: “We had several big donations of £1,000 as well as hundreds of smaller ones. As midnight approached, when the lines were all about to close, we were desperately excited to cross our £50,000 target - but we fell just agonizingly short. But thanks to all for giving up their time to take part especially to the Mayor and David Lepper for their support. “
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