The tireless fund-raising efforts of Joyce Rock, an employee at ABB Ltd, were rewarded after she was chosen for the official London 2012 Olympic Torchbearer relay.
Joyce, who carried the Olympic flame 600 metres through Ainsdale, Merseyside, was nominated for her hard work and dedication to fundraising following three extreme challenges she undertook in just three years on behalf of Macmillan Cancer Support.
The challenges were hiking across the Sahara, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro and trekking across the glaciers of Iceland. In the course of these challenges, Joyce helped raise over £300,000 and has already begun planning her next charity adventure, climbing to Everest base camp in 2013.
Speaking about her role as torchbearer, Joyce enthuses: “It was such an honour to be chosen as one of the 2012 Olympic Torchbearers. I was shocked but delighted when I heard the news. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity and a truly amazing experience.”
Macmillan Cancer Support enjoys a long-standing relationship with ABB. In 2010, Joyce and her colleagues across the UK celebrated the 10-year anniversary of ABB’s partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support. During this decade, ABB staff, supported by the company, have raised over £645,000 to help change the lives of people affected by cancer.
“It never fails to amaze me how many ABB employees take the time and effort to help those less fortunate by involving themselves in charitable activities,” says Trevor Gregory, ABB’s Head of North Europe.
With the Olympic Games only weeks away, I’m thrilled that Joyce has started the celebrations early as an official London 2012 Olympic Torchbearer. We are so proud to see Joyce recognised and rewarded for her fundraising efforts and are delighted for her to have this once in a lifetime experience of carrying the Olympic flame as it travels around the country.”
On ABB’s dedication to fundraising, Sharon Cottam, Corporate Account Manager for Macmillan Cancer Support comments: “Macmillan simply would not exist without the generosity and hard work of people such as Joyce and her ABB colleagues. It is a real honour to see Joyce recognised for her hard work and to congratulate her for her role as an official 2012 London Olympic Torchbearer.”
The 70-day Olympics torch relay began on the 19th May at Land’s End Cornwall. The relay will see over 8,000 nominated individuals carrying the torch a distance of 8,000 miles (12,800km). It will arrive at the Olympic stadium on the 27th July 2012 for the lighting of the cauldron at the opening ceremony, signifying the official start of the London 2012 Olympic Games.
For more information on the official London 2012 Olympic Torchbearers, visit http://www.london2012.com/torch-relay/torchbearers/