Mark Merson, project manager of the recent charity appeal aimed at drawing the financial equivalent of one placement from recruitment agencies, said the drive earned just over £2,500 in its first time out.

He told Recruiter that he is confident the One Deal Comic Relief campaign will be even more successful in 2011, once the economic conditions had improved.

He said he was “happy” with the amount of money raised this year.

Merson, managing director of Merson Palmer Executive Search, said: “We are just happy that we raised just over £;2,500 in the first year. Companies got the feel-good factor of knowing that the success of their business had saved lives. There was nothing more we could have done.

“Hopefully, when the market conditions in two years’ time are better, more companies will be in a position to donate.”

The One Deal campaign, for which Recruiter was the official media partner, asked recruiters to contribute the proceeds of one deal or other sum to Comic Relief.

In all, seven companies contributed: Terra Firma Associates, Source4 Personnel Solutions, QSW UK, Deacon Search, Diamonds HR, Hexagon Human Capital and Square One.

Benefits for recruiters who contributed included a ‘thank you’ certificate and a One Deal web button for their websites to show they had donated.