Caring for our Communities

As the ongoing impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic continues to affect all, charities have been hit exceptionally hard; with the imposed restrictions on social interaction enormously affecting their fundraising capabilities – the main source of income for the majority

Top Left:Nick Hills, Director North& Scotland Region, presenting cheque to Derian House

Top Right:Dylan Lewis, Director South East Region, presenting cheque to Help for Heroes

Middle Left:Gordon Whyte, Director Midlands Region, presenting cheque to Padley House

Middle Right:Pete Stubbs, Director Scotland, presenting cheque to Hillhouse

Bottom Left:Greg Basire, Director Plant Displays, presenting cheque to Breathing Matters

Bottom Right: Jennifer Clark and Jon Gedman, part of our South West Team, presenting cheque to End Youth Homelessness

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As the ongoing impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic continues to affect all, charities have been hit exceptionally hard; with the imposed restrictions on social interaction enormously affecting their fundraising capabilities – the main source of income for the majority

Many charities have experienced a significant decrease in income, against a rising demand for their services due the current circumstances. These charities not only create jobs, but they provide much needed support and services that a multitude of people from all walks of life rely on daily.

As a small token of thanks, and our ongoing commitment to the communities in which we work and live, we have decided this year to donate to charities in seven regions around the UK in lieu of Christmas gifts.

The charities we have chosen are:

Padley Group

Padley is a diverse organisation providing a broad range of services to the most vulnerable people in the community through their homeless hostel and daycentre at Padley House and their charity shop at the Padley Hub.

Padley is much loved and supported by the people of Derby and Derbyshire and has a unique structure: their staff to volunteer ratio is 1:5 and at specific times of the year are 1:7, with volunteers providing the majority of support services for the small team of qualified, professional staff there.

Prior to 2012 the majority of funding came through contracts and grants from Derby City Council and the NHS, which lessened over time due to the massive cuts to public funding .

In 2016 they became totally dependent, having to earn or raise all the funding required themselves to continue providing services to the most vulnerable in society

Macmillan Cancer Support

Here to help everyone with cancer live life as fully as they can, providing physical, financial and emotional support. So whatever cancer throws your way, we’re right there with you.

Help for Heroes

Help for Heroes was founded by Bryn and Emma Parry OBE to provide lifetime support to those wounded in the service of their country and their loved ones, no matter when someone served.

Help for Heroes believe that those prepared to put their lives second, deserve a second chance at life. Every course and activity they offer aims to empower them to look beyond illness and injury, regain their purpose, reach their potential and have a positive impact on society.

Breathing Matters

Breathing Matters’ mission is to improve the lives of every pulmonary fibrosis, bronchiectasis and respiratory/lung infection sufferer by finding treatments and cures through raising funds and awareness.

Founded in 2011, they elected to run their small charity on minimal overheads so that the money raised could be focused on medical research. 

They support research carried out at UCL Respiratory, one of the world’s leading research centres for respiratory diseases, and funds research into Interstitial Lung Diseases such as Pulmonary Fibrosis, and Respiratory Infections such as Bronchiectasis and Pneumonia – all of which are currently under-funded in the UK.

End Youth Homelessness

End Youth Homelessness’s aim is to end youth homelessness long term, by providing young people somewhere safe to live; a place to call home. In the UK every year, 110,000 homeless young people find themselves trapped in dire circumstances both at home and on the streets.

EYH Members provide safe and supported accommodation, housing, and foyers to 30,000 young people across the country.

Young people often find it difficult to ‘move on’ from supported accommodation into social housing or the private rented sector because the rents are too high. In 2017, EYH launched the Rent Deposit Scheme (RDS), this scheme has helped over 400 homeless young people to move into private rented accommodation. The scheme has now transitioned into the Housing Fund, which aims to support even more homeless young people find a place of their own.

Derian House

Derian House provides respite and end-of-life care to more than 400 children and young people across the North West – 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  

They help children and young people, whose lives are too short, to make happy memories in an environment of fun, respect and above all, high quality care. Their ethos is to make sure that every child and young person who comes to Derian can make the very most of the time they have.

Hillhouse

Hillhouse, established in 1975, supports individuals and families in Ayrshire to help ease financial pressure and family tension. The needs of the people they help vary but mainly it helps with clothing babies and young children, providing prams, cots, stair gates, nappies and various other equipment.