LMAX Exchange exceeds team fundraising target for Unicef

As the international Clipper Race crews prepare for the race of their lives, they are also fundraising and supporting the official race charity, Unicef. The LMAX Exchange team has already reached its team fundraising target for the race, raising more than £20,000 for the world’s leading children’s organisation.

Whilst the race crew are taking on one of the greatest challenges on Earth, testing their wits, skills and courage in an endurance race across the toughest oceans, children around the world are experiencing even more dangerous challenges. They’re facing violence, disease, hunger and the chaos of war and disaster. Millions of children are suffering and dying needlessly. Clipper Race crews and Unicef are working to change this.

The teams have all been set a fundraising target of £20,000 and crew members and skippers alike are busy engaging in a variety of fundraising activities to support Unicef’s work for children around the world,

Speaking of her teams’ successful fundraising campaign so far, LMAX Exchange round the world crew member Esha Meta, a 23 year-old Biomedical Scientist from Belgium, says: “We’ve done well as a team to hit our target before the race has even started. We are proud of our hard work and it’s great that we have won our first race already! We have many more wins to come.

“Some of my friends and family were affected by the recent Nepal earthquake and so I am very aware of the important work Unicef is doing to protect children from danger. Thank you to everyone that has supported us so far, we hope to continue building on our total and have a few ideas to continue fundraising throughout the race so watch this space!”

Unicef is the world’s leading children’s organisation, ensuring more children are vaccinated, educated and protected than any other organisation.

Marietta Richardson, Public Fundraising Manager at Unicef UK says: “Well done to LMAX Exchange for being the first team to exceed its fundraising target and in particular Esha Mehta for her contribution to this. The money raised so far by LMAX Exchange will go a long way in helping to keep children safe.”

Unicef operates in 190 countries round the world, including every country on the Clipper Race route. It has done more to influence laws, policies and customs to help protect children than anyone else in history.

Clipper Race founder and chairman Sir Robin Knox-Johnston commented: “Congratulations to the crew of LMAX Exchange on a fantastic fundraising effort and being the first crew to reach the £20,000 target in aid of Unicef. It’s a great start to the fundraising effort for the tenth edition race.”

There are many opportunities to support team fundraising and all funds raised will contribute to each team’s JustGiving fundraising totals. You can donate by clicking here.

For more information: www.unicef.org.uk

Photo Credit: Tim Ockenden, father of LMAX Exchange crew member, Stephanie Ockenden