Apprentices organise fundraising event as part of National Apprenticeship Week

As part of National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) the apprentices who work within the Norwich and Central Norfolk NHS Apprenticeship Team are organising a fundraising event in aid of Dementia UK.

The theme of National Apprenticeship Week is “Apprenticeships Deliver – quality, growth, pride and value”. To reflect this theme, approximately up to 60 apprentices will be participating in a sponsored 'static' cycle ride around the perimeter of the Norwich and Central Norfolk apprenticeship catchment area – a total 377km. The money raised will go towards the recruitment and retention of Admiral Nurses in Norfolk funded by Dementia UK.

This event will be taking place on Friday 15th March 2013 from 9.00am in the East Atrium Level 2 at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) and will help to raise the profile of apprentices and demonstrate the excellent role they play within a healthcare setting.

Kicking off the event at 9.00am will be Chloe Smith MP and Richard Bacon MP who will be joined by the Chief Executives from NNUH, Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust and Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust each cycling 10 minutes towards an accumulative distance, demonstrating how the Trusts work together both in terms of the apprenticeship scheme and also the care of those with dementia. Norman Lamb MP will also be joining the event at 10.00am to support the apprentices.

Anna Dugdale said: “As a major employer for the county, it is great to be able to provide ambitious, motivated young people of Norfolk with the opportunity of working in the healthcare sector and for the apprentices to be an integral part of the NNUH in providing care to our local community”.

Aidan Thomas, Chief Executive of Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (Mental Health) said: “The NHS provides lots of very fulfilling careers in places where most people are proud to work. I’m really pleased we are able to promote the role of apprenticeships as they provide an important gateway for the next generation of NHS staff.”

Michael Scott, Chief Executive of Norfolk Community Health and Social Care said: “We are proud to support apprenticeships as they offer people access to invaluable training and experience, a qualification, and a step on to the career ladder. Apprentices are also a key strand to our workforce strategy, ensuring we can ‘grow our own’ excellent NHS staff who will continue to deliver our high quality services in the future.”

To sponsor the apprentices please go to www.justgiving.com/Apprenticeship. Also donations of up to £10 can be made via our JustTextGiving code by texting ASCR50 and either 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 10 (depending on how many pounds you want to donate) to 70070. The text message is free and all of the donation will be passed to Dementia UK.

PHOTO CALL

9.00am on 15th March in the East Atrium, Level 2 at the NNUH with Chloe Smith MP, Richard Bacon MP, Anna Dugdale, Chief Executive for NNUH; Aidan Thomas, Chief Executive for Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust and Michael Scott, Chief Executive for Norfolk Community Health and Care along with the Norwich and Central Norfolk NHS Apprenticeship Team and apprentices.