18 May 2007 | Ref. 151/2007
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BAE Systems Supports Polly Vacher's Next Flight Challenge
Farnborough, United Kingdom. - World-record flyer Polly Vacher MBE is set to fulfil her latest challenge – flying to every operational airfield in the United Kingdom to raise money for the Flying Scholarships for the Disabled charity, with help from BAE Systems.
As the owner and operator of four airfields in the United Kingdom, the Company is waiving the landing fees and organising a reception at each airfield for Polly to sign copies of her book ‘Wings around the World’, which is being sold throughout the tour. BAE Systems will also be liaising with disabled volunteers who may wish to fly with Polly on a leg of the tour.
Polly’s flights in 2001 and 2004 took her over the North Pole and across the Pacific. But this time she is about to fly to all 206 airfields in Jeppesen’s British Isles manual - beginning at Birmingham International Airport on 21 May and ending in Oxford on 31 July 2007.
Polly will be flying into BAE Systems’ airfields as follows: 5 June – Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria; 8 June – Warton, Lancashire; 11 June – Filton, South Gloucestershire; and 24 July – Woodford, Cheshire.
Dick Olver, BAE Systems’ Chairman: “I’m delighted we were able to support Polly and wish her all the best in raising funds and awareness for Flying Scholarships for the Disabled.”
In addition to its support to other charitable projects, BAE Systems runs its own global employee fundraising scheme, Charity Challenge. In the last 18 months of the scheme, it raised over £8 million for several charities worldwide. Over the same period, employees volunteered 10,500 days of their own time. The 2007-2008 scheme partner charities are Macmillan Cancer Support in the UK, the Australian Cancer Council and the Alzheimer’s Association in the US.
For further information please contact:
Lisa Hillary-Tee, BAE Systems
Tel: +44 (0) 1252 384934 Mob: +44 (0)7801 718994
lisa.hillary-tee@baesystems.com
About BAE Systems:
BAE Systems is a global defence and aerospace company delivering a full range of products and services for air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, information technology solutions and customer support services. With 88,000 employees worldwide, BAE Systems' sales exceeded £13.7 billion pounds sterling (US25.4 billion dollars) in 2006.
Issued by:
BAE Systems, Farnborough, Hampshire GU14 6YU, UK
Tel: +44 (0) 1252 384719 Fax: +44 (0) 1252 383947
www.baesystems.com
151/2007
