Every season the athletes at Team Evolution pick a charity to support through fund raising efforts and from the Team Evolution Forest Run. The fundraising money is then split between the chosen charity and The Team Evolution Fund. Following the invasion of Ukraine just over a month ago, for the 2021/22 season the athletes have decided to support:

SAVE THE CHILDREN MISSION IN UKRAINE

Over 7.5 million children across Ukraine are in grave danger of physical harm, severe emotional distress, and displacement. As of 30 March, the Prosecutor's General Office of Ukraine reports that 145 children have been killed and 222 injured.

Explosions and street fighting are ramping up in cities across the country, including the capital Kyiv - forcing terrified children and families into basements and bomb shelters.Children fleeing the conflict are faced with long days and nights exposed to cold, brutal conditions. We’re incredibly worried about the risks of illnesses like hypothermia.

Children’s futures are in jeopardy, too: air strikes and explosions have damaged schools and hospitals, which could make it harder for children to get the long-term health care and education they deserve.

And - as in any crisis - children without caregivers or guardians in Ukraine are at increased risk of abuse, exploitation, trafficking and neglect.

Donations this year will help to contribute towards:

- Distributing winter kits of clothing and blankets

- Providing cash and vouchers assistance to families to meet basic needs like food, rent and medicines

- Offering vital mental health support to children and their families

- Providing access to safe, inclusive, quality education

- Providing basic non-food items and outreach services for refugees arriving to Romania

TEAM EVOLUTION ANNUAL FUND

The Team Evolution Annual Fund is the fundraising initiative to which our entire team – current trainees, parents, staff, alumni, grandparents, ex-athletes, ex-parents and friends, plus many more – contribute to annually. The purpose of the Annual Fund is to raise finances to both directly improve the offerings of the Team Evolution programme for the long term benefit of current and future British skiers, and to support our trainee-chosen charities’ for the year.

Ski racing is hugely expensive, and ensuring that every athlete who passes through the programme learns the value of money, of the opportunities that they are given, and the parity with the rest of the world is something that we take very seriously. By better understanding our privileges and by showing support and compassion for those less fortunate, we are able to help guide trainees to better understand the real world, long before they are required to leave the programme. Taking part in fund-raising to help others through the Annual Fund is an important part of this learning process.

Ski racing is a sport restrictive by its financial requirements, and as a programme Team Evolution has always strived to keep the costs as manageable as possible. The Team Evolution Annual Fund, through its partnership with The Winter Sports Foundation, allows us to help allocate a limited amount of financial support and financial aid to select students who may not otherwise be able to attend certain camps.

The Team Evolution Annual Fund also helps to fill the “funding gap” between the training fees that athletes pay, to the real cost of running the year round Team Evolution programme and associated facilities. The money raised helps the programme run numerous team activities across Europe, including supporting UK grass roots clubs with educational programmes, professional development of athletes and staff, and the enhancement of training facilities in the UK and Austria .

Finally, and arguably most importantly, the Team Evolution Annual Fund allows us to each year support our trainee-chosen charities’, ensuring that trainees understand the importance of “giving back” to the wider community and how their small contributions can make a big difference to the lives of others.

Revenue is raised for the Team Evolution Annual fund through a variety of initiatives, from the legendary Team Evolution Forest Run to equipment sales, donations and special fund raising events.

The tradition of parental support of the Team Evolution Annual Fund reflects a commitment to the programmes mission statement and values that we are immensely proud of. We only ask each family to participate in the way in which they are comfortable. Throughout the year families are kept informed of any particular fundraisers or initiatives, and any contribution, whether large or small, is deeply appreciated and is critical to our success in other fund-raising areas.