You are on page 1of 2

PRESS RELEASE

Optident Dental Products Valley Drive IIkley LS29 8AL West Yorkshire England

Henrys Angels of the North support


Martin House Childrens Hospices Santa Fun Run
Optident team members volunteer to raise awareness for a good cause in West Yorkshire
Ilkley, 19 December 2014 On a sunny Sunday morning in December, 350 Santas descended on
Stockeld Park, near Wetherby, North Yorkshire, for a Santa Fun Run through an Enchanted Forest
to raise awareness for a good cause. The event was organised by the nearby Martin House
Childrens Hospice in order to raise funds for the vital work the hospice does, which is reliant on
charitable donations. Children, grandparents and parents all took part, and members of the Henrys
Angels of the North team from Optident volunteered their time to marshal the race.
All competing runners, from babies in buggies to teenagers wearing headphones and grandparents
giving piggybacks, were provided with their own Santa outfit. As race marshals, Henrys Angels were
tasked with cheering encouragement, picking up dropped beards and broken belts, and keeping the
runners safe and going strong.
For all the youngsters taking part in the run, the Enchanted Forest was filled with festive lights,
sounds and play areas, encouraging repeated laps as there was so much to see: from a firebreathing dragon, to howling wolves and a Snow Queen on her sleigh; to snoring hedgehogs,
grazing deer and a sparkling lake. The Santa Fun Run was a real family affair and showed how
crucial the support offered by the hospice is for the families that require its services.
In the first half of the year, Henrys Angels of the North concentrated on raising desperately needed
funds for the childrens hospice in different ways. They provided a money house for loose-change
donations and participated in Dragon Boat Racing on Waterloo Lake in Leeds, raising more than
1.500 on a May day that saw 41 other corporate teams racing. The Angels also volunteered to
help marshal the Leeds 10km run in July and spent a day helping the gardening and maintenance
team at the hospice to shift rubble and trim trees.
Quotes
Jennifer Hill, Executive Secretary and one of the Angels supporting the Santa Fun Run, states: It was
surreal to see a sea of Santas running towards you early on a Sunday morning, but it was a
thoroughly enjoyable event with lots of parents and children taking part who are connected to the
hospice in some way. It felt so good to be part of it.
Caption for attached photos/logos:

350 Santas at the Santa Fun Run 2014 of Martin House Childrens Hospice

About Henrys Angels


Henrys Angels was formed in January 2011 to put together a long lasting programme of volunteers in
Henry Schein UKs headquarters in Gillingham, Kent, wishing to give something back to the local
community. Meanwhile, local Angels are active at Henry Schein locations in Cardiff, Gillingham and
Ilkley. Henrys Angels have gone from strength to strength, so far organizing around 20 projects that
have included over 200 volunteers working over 3,000 hours. The Angels support several projects
each year and have already received tremendous support from local companies, hotels and services.
Henrys Angels believe that time is the most valuable commodity they can give and together they can
make a big difference. Henrys Angels are part of Henry Schein Cares, the global corporate social
responsibility program of Henry Schein, Inc.
-

more

Page 2

Henry Schein Cares helps increase access to care for underserved populations through three focus
areas: wellness, prevention, treatment, and education; emergency preparedness and relief; and
health care capacity building.
In 2014, Henrys Angels has expanded. Optident, affiliate to Henry Schein since 2013, has formed
their own local branch of Henrys Angels (of the North) and chose to support their community area
childrens hospice, Martin House, in Boston Spa. Martin House is a purpose built hospice for
children, young people and their families. They take referrals from the Yorkshire region and aim to
support and care for families in which there is a child with a life-limiting condition.
Henrys Angels are on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/#!/hshenrysangels and more
information on Martin House Childrens Hospice can be found under www.martinhouse.org.uk.
About Henry Schein Cares
Henry Schein Cares, Henry Scheins global corporate social responsibility program, stands on four
pillars: engaging Team Schein Members to reach their potential, ensuring accountability by
extending ethical business practices to all levels within Henry Schein, promoting environmental
sustainability, and expanding access to health care for underserved and at-risk communities around
the world. Health care activities supported by Henry Schein Cares focus on three main areas:
advancing wellness, building capacity in the delivery of health care services, and assisting in
emergency preparedness and relief. Firmly rooted in a deep commitment to social responsibility and
the concept of enlightened self-interest championed by Benjamin Franklin, the philosophy behind
Henry Schein Cares is a vision of doing well by doing good. Through the work of Henry Schein
Cares to enhance access to care for those in need, the Company believes that it is furthering its
long-term success.
About Optident and Henry Schein, Inc.
In 1987, Optident commenced trading as dental supplier as a family business founded by David
Butterfield with only 3 employees. In the course of the years, the number of staff has risen to 75 and
Optident has moved on from packing parcels at home to 20,000 square feet of prestigious premises
located at the International Development Centre in Ilkley, Yorkshire, with state of the art distribution,
conference and lecture facilities. The company continues to go from strength to strength, furthering
its original objective of providing the dental profession, in the UK and worldwide, with quality
materials, techniques, services and educational programmes. Since 2013, Optident is part of Henry
Schein, Inc. (NASDAQ: HSIC), the worlds largest provider of health care products and services to
office-based dental, animal health and medical practitioners.
Henry Schein, Inc. also serves dental laboratories, government and institutional health care clinics,
and other alternate care sites. A Fortune 500 Company and a member of the NASDAQ 100
Index, Henry Schein employs more than 17.000 Team Schein Members and serves more than
800.000 customers. The Company offers a comprehensive selection of products and services,
including value-added solutions for operating efficient practices and delivering high-quality care.
Henry Schein operates through a centralized and automated distribution network, with a selection of
more than 96,000 branded products and Henry Schein private-brand products in stock, as well as
more than 110,000 additional products available as special-order items. The Company also offers its
customers exclusive, innovative technology solutions, including practice management software and
e-commerce solutions, as well as a broad range of financial services. Headquartered in Melville,
N.Y., Henry Schein has operations or affiliates in 28 countries.
For more information, please visit the local Web sites at www.henryschein.co.uk and
www.optident.co.uk or the corporate Web Site at www.henryschein.com.

Contact:

Stefanie Fleige
Senior Manager, International Corporate Communications
e-mail: Stefanie.Fleige@henryschein.de
phone: +49 40 65668 691
###

You might also like