Virgin Trade-Up deal was as Sweet As chocolate
Mar 16 2009 by Tom Scotney, Birmingham Post
Virgin Media has signed a sweet deal in the latest round of trading in The Great Trade UP, the charity swap-a-thon for Birmingham’s top companies.
The company has managed to get its hands on a hamper of chocolates and a custom-made cake to feed up to 40 people from Warwickshire chocolatiers and cake specialists Sweet As.
Sweet As is a nationally-known brand, and has even had the royal seal of approval, after making an anniversary cake for Charles and Camilla.
Virgin has also got a chocolate-making masterclass from Sweet As boss Jenny Hudson, in exchange for two first-class train tickets.
Rohit Pallan, who heads the Virgin trade up team, said: “What we have got is a noticeboard at the front door so people can see all of the trades and pictures of some of the children at the hospital. Every time you walk past there are some people standing round the board having a look. There’s a lot of interest in it.”
The Great Trade UP has its teams all trying to swap up as high as they can from a single balloon. When the time is up the things they end up with will be sold, with all money going towards the new renal unit at Birmingham Children’s Hospital.
It is based upon the experience of Canadian Kyle McDonald who bartered his way through 14 trades, beginning with a red paperclip and ending up with an entire house. The 17 teams playing were each given a BCH red balloon just one month ago at the launch event and have gone on to trade this for an item of a higher value and are still going. The teams will continue to trade for another two months with the intention of finishing with an item of huge value which they then ‘cash in’. Whoever raises the most money will be named Great Trade UP champions.
There is hard-fought competition between the firms who have entered to be named top of the traders when the competition finishes, less than two months away.
Last week law firm Browne Jacobson showed they had the X Factor, securing two backstage tickets to the wildly popular ITV talent show, as well as a signed photo of host Simon Cowell. They were looking for a music-mad member of the public to take them off their hands so they could carry on trying to raise as much money as possible.
The Great Trade UP is organised by Birmingham Children’s Hospital alongside BBC Radio WM. The Great Trade UP lasts until May 15. An entry fee of £500 is required. To get involved, email greattradeup@kidneykids.co.uk or call 0121 333 8539.
