A HOLME Valley charity has said a very public “thank you” to one of its biggest corporate supporters.
Brockholes-based sheet metal fabrication firm Allsops Ltd has proved a really good neighbour by providing its expert services free of charge to DEMAND – Design and Manufacture for Disability – for the past seven years.
DEMAND, which has its northern office at New Mill Road, helps people with disabilities who need bespoke equipment to help them with their everyday lives.
Its products range from sprung crutches to help a disabled child play football and washing lines for wheelchair users to special ramps to enable disabled people to play Boccia, a paralympic ball game.
The ramps are exported to countries including Australia, Sweden and Denmark.
Allsops Ltd has helped out by fabricating and powder-coating items of equipment as required.
Martin Brown, of the charity’s management team, said: “When I opened this facility in 2005, Allsops offered the use of its powder coating department and said that could continue indefinitely provided it did not hinder their business. That arrangement has continued for seven years – and I thought it was about time to say ‘thank you’.
“We have relationships with a number of local businesses, but seven years is a long time. Our end-users get a very much better product because of this kind of support. Our charity could not afford to help as many disabled people as it does without it.
“The help we get from Allsops and others enables us to supply things free of charge to people who need adaptations and bespoke equipment to go about their daily lives. The help we get is directly transferred to the end user.”
Allsops production director Lyndon Tyas said helping DEMAND did not impinge on the firm’s commercial operations because items could be powder coated alongside the company’s own products. Allsops also cut and shaped metal components as required by the charity.
He said: “They are on our doorstep and it is good to be able to help.”
The recognition comes as Allsops Ltd, which has been in business since 1959, adopts a new look.
The company, which has 120 staff and more than 700 UK and international clients, turned to Holmfirth-based marketing consultancy Circle Marketing to help them redefine their brand message and create a new image for their well-established business.
Laura Pegg, managing director at Circle, worked with the firm to devise a new strapline and brand message that could be used on its new website, brochure and e-marketing campaign.
