Learning Pool fundraises £1,000 in it’s continued support of Derry-based charity, ARC Fitness
June 25, 2021
Learning Pool is thrilled to have raised a sum of £1,000 in support of ARC Fitness’ ‘No Shame’ campaign, which saw founder and programme director, Gary Rutherford run five marathons in five days across the City.
The charities founder and programme director, Gary Rutherford began the ‘No Shame’ campaign this year to challenge the existing stigma, shame, discrimination, and blame that can often stop someone suffering substance misuse from seeking the support that is available for them.
ARC’s aim for the ’No Shame’ campaign was to humanise the concept of addiction, empower individuals through their journey to sobriety, and spread messages of hope to show that recovery is possible, one step at a time and one conversation at a time.
Gary made the decision to run five marathons in five days all while wearing a 22lb weight vest to symbolise the heavy burden of shame that often acts as a barrier to recovery. The marathon routes took place across different parts of Derry City centre throughout the 5 days at the end of May.
Learning Pool was honoured to be one of the sponsors of the ‘No Shame’ campaign. Sam Barbee, Director of Strategic Client Development, was an active supporter of Gary throughout the five day marathon. As well as that, Learning Pool staff came together to raise £500 in support of the campaign. This was matched by the company, allowing us to present Gary and the team with a £1,000 donation.
ARC Fitness is going to be moving into new premises in July and the money will go towards helping with renovations. With the additional space, it will enable ARC to double their programme and meet the needs of those on the waiting list to join.
ARC Fitness featured recently as one of the prime pieces on BBC’s The One Show highlighting the amazing work that Gary and the ARC Fitness team have carried out within the community. Over the 2 years since the programme has been formed, ARC has helped more than 60 people through the use of exercise and creating a positive mindset.
Learning Pool has also had the privilege of playing an active role in the ‘No Shame’ campaign by collaborating with ARC in the design and development of a suite of educational videos around topics like – Drop the labels, Get Curious and Develop a compassionate inner voice.
In late 2020, Learning Pool became the inaugural corporate sponsors of ARC Fitness, playing an instrumental role in the development and support of The ARC Academy. The Academy provides individuals with the knowledge and insight to help them get on top of their relationship with substances. Going forward, Learning Pool is thrilled to be able to extend their existing corporate sponsorship with ARC Fitness and Gary and the team with future projects.
Sam Barbee, Director of Strategic Client Development at Learning Pool said:
“Learning Pool has had the privilege to partner with ARC Fitness over the past year. We’re excited to see what it has achieved in helping the lives of those on the road to recovery. The ambition of ARC has excited the team at Learning Pool and we can’t wait to see more lives changed via the Academy.”
Gary Rutherford, Founder, ARC Fitness
“ARC is grateful for the continued support by Learning Pool. Over the past year we’ve been able to achieve some amazing results, which have changed lives, and that is directly related to their support with the ARC Academy, sponsorship and their team.”
About ARC Fitness
ARC Fitness is a Not-For-Profit social enterprise organisation that offers practical help, support and motivation for those struggling with substance misuse. The vision of ARC Fitness is to help others by promoting a healthy and sustainable recovery through the application of exercise and positive lifestyle choices.
Their abstinence-orientated approach to recovery builds therapeutic environments for individuals recovering from substance misuse and disorders. Through physical activity, professional support and re-connection with the community, ARC Fitness encourages those in need of help to focus on improving their mental and physical wellbeing.
About Learning Pool
Learning Pool is a full-service online training provider, offering courses, tools, and custom content to over 1100 organizations and 5.1 million learners around the world. In the last year, annual revenue growth increased 34%, the team has grown to 260 colleagues across its seven global offices, and the company is proud to have welcomed Remote Learner to the Learning Pool family.
In 2020, Learning Pool proudly featured on 14 eLearning Industry lists for excellence in learning platforms and content creation and achieved a double-award win at the Brandon Hall Excellence Awards, including Gold for Technology Innovation. Already this year, Learning Pool has been recognized in the Stevie Awards for Customer Service, taking home double Gold, and was announced as ‘World Class’ to work for in the 2021 Best Companies accreditation program. It also moved to ‘Strategic Leader’ on the most recent Fosway 9-Grid for Digital Learning, maintaining its overall lower total cost of ownership.
It’s not all about the awards though. The company delivers on its promises and listens to customers, constantly looking at ways to improve and innovate, to delight clients and make sure Learning Pool stays a fantastic place to work.
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