Creative agency director’s family loss inspires month of office games to support charities

STAFF at creative agency Milk & Tweed have taken part in a month of office games to support charities close to their hearts.

The agency, which specialises in web and brand design and digital marketing, has now donated more than £3,000 for good causes after a third year of office games involving staff at its bases in Chippenham and Brighton.

The idea for the games was originally inspired by creative director Jake Jeffries to mark his late sister Laura’s birthday. She died four years ago aged just 41 from cancer. “We started the games marathon in her honour so that something positive came out of the anniversary,” he said.

“She was an incredible woman, sister, mother, auntie and daughter and is missed by her family and friends every day. I wanted to donate some money for the William Budd Ward at the Royal United Hospital in Bath where Laura was treated. The care, love and attention they provide not only for the patients, but their family members, really is astonishing – and something that will never be forgotten.

“I thought it would be good for the team to be able to help causes that are personal to them as well so we came up with the games so that the winner could donate the prize to their own favourite charity. The games are all a bit silly, the kind of things people in offices do to mess around, but actually quite competitive too.”

Staff took part in online bingo and a paper plane making and flying challenge – with the creator of the plane to travel the shortest being eliminated until one winner remained. The final challenge was a spin on boules, with staff having to roll a tennis ball into a square marked out on the carpet of the agency’s recently extended offices at Avon Reach.

Junior digital marketer Charlie Moody won the bingo and donated her £200 prize to Cancer Research, while head of web Jon Mynette chose to support Help Bristol’s Homeless after crafting the best paper plane. Junior designer Miles Clements triumphed in the ball rolling and chose Leukaemia Care to receive his prize. Mr Jeffries also donated £200 to the RUH.

Social media marketing coordinator Alice Goulding, who helped organise the games, said they are a way of bringing staff together. “It was nice to spend a little bit of time as an office doing something a bit more physical and with the whole team, especially the people who work remotely.

“It was also really good to involve different charities. As an agency we always say that we want to be community minded and do good so it was great that we put that into action.

“Everyone chose a charity that they’d donate to if they won so it made people think about the causes they are closest to and I’m pretty sure there’s a personal reason behind every choice. We tagged the charities in our social posts and they interacted with us so we’re able to build relationships with them as well.”

Mr Jeffries said: “We are an incredibly busy operation so sometimes it does everyone good to stop and think about others while having a bit of fun. Our charity month is really good for team bonding and has become something everyone looks forward to.”

Find out more about the agency’s services at milkandtweed.com.

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Pictured: Milk & Tweed staff taking part in a paper plane flying challenge during their charity month

Pictured: Milk & Tweed  creative director Jake Jeffries measuring an attempt at landing a tennis ball on a square