At Able Group, we believe in supporting causes that make a real difference in our community. With our national headquarters based in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, Havens Hospices has long been one of the charities closest to our hearts. Over the years, our team has taken part in various in-office fundraising events, but in 2024 our partnership truly began to grow.
That year marked the 10th anniversary of Play on the Pitch (POTP), an annual charity football match that sees Barclays Bank take on local Southend businesses, all in support of Havens Hospices. It was also the first year Able Group took part. The event raised an incredible £45,529 in 2024, with POTP 2025 building on that success and raising £47,678. Although we’re yet to play on the team that has taken home the trophy, plans are already underway for POP 2026 – and who knows, maybe this time we’ll win!
Joining Waddle-on-Sea
Through our involvement at POTP, we were also introduced to Havens’ 2025 art trail: Waddle-on-Sea. This spectacular community event brought together local businesses, schools, and talented artists to create a colourful penguin trail across Southend. Each sculpture was sponsored by a business and decorated by an artist, transforming the town into an open-air art gallery and raising vital funds for Havens Hospices.
We were thrilled to come on board as a main partner. A real highlight was choosing our penguin design ‘Wild’ and working closely with our talented artist, Charlie Stafford (read more about that here). But our support didn’t stop at sponsorship – our team also rolled up their sleeves and got stuck in behind the scenes.
From the moment the sculptures arrived, our volunteers were hands-on: unloading and checking each penguin, before they were sent out to the artists to be painted, (which was hard graft!). We also helped send them on their way to the trail by helping place them onto plinths and adding all the branding and stickers, and, once the trail ended, deinstalling the penguins and preparing them for their next chapter. It was a fantastic experience to contribute not only financially, but physically, to the success of such a creative and inspiring project.
Our Commitment to the Trail
When we announced our involvement in Waddle-on-Sea, our Managing Director, Joe Horton, summed up our excitement perfectly:
“We are absolutely delighted to be working with Havens Hospices and sponsoring Waddle-on-Sea. With our business headquarters based in Leigh-on-Sea and as a long-time supporter of the charity, we couldn’t refuse such a fantastic opportunity to help raise money for a vital charity in our local area. The previous trails have been a huge success and inspiration in bringing communities together and showcasing amazing talent and we are very excited to be part of this incredible event.”
We look forward to sharing further updates about Waddle-on-Sea and other charity involvement and ways you can get involved over the coming months.
Why It Matters
Now that the trail has come to a close, the penguin sculptures are preparing to find their forever homes at a charity auction. The funds raised – along with those from other Havens events – go directly to supporting the charity’s extraordinary work.
Havens Hospices provides specialist care for people living with incurable conditions, helping them to make the most of every day. Whether at Fair Havens for adults, Little Havens for children, or in the comfort of a patient’s home, care is tailored to individual needs and extended to families, partners, and friends. Most importantly, all of this care is provided free of charge. Around 80% of the charity’s funding comes from the generosity of the community through donations, gifts in wills, and events like POTP and Waddle-on-Sea.
Our partnership with Havens Hospices has grown year by year, and we are proud to continue supporting their vital mission in our community.
