# BT staff and TV stars to abseil down the BT Tower

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2014/02/17/bt-staff-tv-stars-abseil-bt-tower/
- Published: 2014-02-17T16:51:42+00:00
- Author: Howard Lake

British Telecom’s chairman Sir Mike Rake has devised a fundraising event that involves
his chief executive walking backwards off the 138m high BT Tower in Central London.

BT boss Gavin Patterson will lead a 30-strong team of BT colleagues and celebrities
in a sponsored abseil from the London landmark in a joint fundraising venture for
[Sport Relief](http://sportrelief.com) and the Royal Marines Charitable Trust.

Sir Mike is described as a keen supporter of the Royal Marines and the fundraising
event – on 10 March – will kick off a year of commemorations marking the marines’
350th anniversary, during which the service’s charitable  trust aims to reach its
four-year fundraising target of £6 million.

## Advertisement

 [⌊Posthub advert. You create the campaign. We'll handle the postal journey. Get started at post-hub.co.uk.⌉](https://fundraising.co.uk/ads/posthub-20261007-300x250/)

Gavin Patterson says he is “delighted” that BT is hosting the event, even though
he also says he is “not the greatest fan of heights”.

The six BT employees taking part in the [abseil](http://www.bt.com/bttowerabseil)
are all former members of the armed services, while the celebrity component comprises
people used to an adrenaline rush, including adventurer Bear Grylls, former Blue
Peter presenter Helen Skelton and swimmer Mark Foster. All the team will receive
training from the Royal Marines.

Sport Relief runs this year from 21 to 23 March 2014. Fundraising for the event 
is through [BT mydonate](https://mydonate.bt.com/events/greatbttowerabseil/97319).

 

_[Sue Robinson](http://www.shutterstock.com/gallery-376810p1.html?cr=00&pl=edit-00)/
[Shutterstock.com](http://www.shutterstock.com/?cr=00&pl=edit-00)_

 * **[Gianluca Vialli on his work with Street Child](https://fundraising.co.uk/2014/04/16/gianluca-vialli-work-street-child/)**(
   16 April 2014)
 * **[Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research is official partner for Friends Life Women’s Tour](https://fundraising.co.uk/2014/04/16/leukaemia-lymphoma-research-official-partner-friends-life-womens-tour/)**(
   16 April 2014)
 * **[Newman’s Own Foundation offers $250k to UK charities](https://fundraising.co.uk/2014/05/23/newmans-foundation-offers-250k-uk-charities/)**(
   23 May 2014)