50 Metro Bank staff members abseiled down the ArcelorMittal Orbit in London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford, the UK’s tallest sculpture and highest freefall abseil, last week.

The mortgage distribution team was represented by its director, Charles Morley and Emma Betteridge, business development manager for Kent – who both managed the 80 metre abseil in their Santa suits.

Colleagues participating hailed from departments and locations across the Bank and had travelled from as far as Birmingham to take part in the charity challenge – in aid of the Bank’s chosen charity partner, Teenage Cancer Trust.

The mortgage distribution team has raised £600 from the challenge, with all Metro Bank colleagues raising more than £8,000 with donations still coming in. The bank has pledged to raise more than £150,000 in total as part of a one-year partnership with the charity that was chosen in May.

Morley said: “At Metro Bank we’re really proud to support our chosen charity, Teenage Cancer Trust, and an abseil like this is just one way we can raise money and awareness for such a worthy cause. I’d like to thank everyone who has sponsored myself and the team, especially those in the broker market and across the mortgage industry.”

With Metro Bank’s support, Teenage Cancer Trust will be able to recruit and fund a new team of highly specialist nurses to go into local communities across the country – to ensure every young person facing cancer has access to the expert, age-appropriate care that Teenage Cancer Trust deliver, regardless of where they live or choose to be treated.

The Bank also gives colleagues a ‘Day to AMAZE’ – a day, when they would normally be working, to volunteer their time and / or skills or give back to their local community.