LV= Britannia Rescue is making a difference
Building strong relationships with local communities can make a meaningful difference to people’s lives.
That’s the philosophy behind community support at LV= Britannia Rescue, based at Folly Hall Mills in Huddersfield. The company encourages its 98 employees in Huddersfield to take part in fundraising, community work, charitable donations and volunteering.
Spokeswoman May Ramadan said: “By building strong relationships with our communities we find ways to make a meaningful difference to the people who live in the towns and villages near our offices.”
She said corporate volunteering brought many benefits – supporting communities where staff lived and worked, supporting the well-being of colleagues, increasing employee engagement and developing individual talent and skill as well as boosting morale and loyalty.
The firm’s 15-strong community and charity committee based at Huddersfield is made up of LV= volunteers who make decisions on how best to help local charities, good causes and projects – and are given a budget to enable them to support their chosen causes.
Projects have included clearing streams, gardening, painting the fencing around raised flowerbeds at the Hollybank Trust, bag-packing at Sainsbury’s and running interview technique workshops for young people at the Yorkshire Children’s Centre.
Last year, the committee donated £15,000 to charities and volunteered 170 hours for initiatives including helping to with the running costs of a cafe at charity Jigsaw Enterprise, which helps young people and adults with learning difficulties and paying for defibrillators for schools and sports clubs.
Sheards Accountancy shows commitment to the community
An accountancy firm established more than a century ago is showing timeless commitment to supporting community causes in Huddersfield.
Sheards Accountancy, formed in 1903 and known as Fred Sheards & Sons for many years, supports a number of member organisations, clubs, associations and charities as well as its core client base among small and medium-sized businesses across West Yorkshire.
The firm, led by owners and directors Carolyn Atkinson and Kevin Winterburn, is an accredited Investor in People and is classed as a “Gold Employer” by the Association of Certified Accountants.
Sheards hosts regular business and seminar networking events under the “Connections” banner while staff at the firm take advantage of speaker sessions to expand their knowledge and expertise. The firm also launched a series of client lunches at its offices in Vernon House, New North Road, Highfields.
Kevin regularly volunteers his own time and expertise to help start-up businesses via the Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce mentor scheme while Carolyn is a prominent member of the BNI Giants networking group.
Over the years, Sheards has supported local charities including Kirkwood Hospice and the Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice. Fundraising events have included hosting curry nights, quiz nights and taking part in challenges such as Tough Mudder and the Huddersfield Hilly Marathon.
Cummins Turbo Technologies staff put the hours in for good causes
Workers at a Huddersfield manufacturing firm are putting in lots of hours to support good causes.
Some 800 employees at Cummins Turbo Technology, based at Turnbridge. were involved in at least one corporate social responsibility (CSR) activity during 2014 – contributing a total of 7,581 hours to helping 76 community partners with 787 events.
IT and CSR leader Ian Lawson said the turbocharger company focused CSR activities on social justice and equality of opportunity; education; and environment.
As part of its focus on social justice and equality of opportunity, Cummins supports partners such as Safe Anchor Trust, the Mission Cafe, Meals on Wheels, Age UK and the Kirklees Rape and Sexual Abuse Counselling Centre.
At Huddersfield Methodist Mission, Cummins employees have helped in the kitchen, changed the email system, assisted with fundraising and helped put a five-year strategy into place.
In education, the firm works with many schools in the area, but has Batley Girls Grammar School and Moor End Academy as its two main partner schools. Activities have included designing and building a rocket car that students can race across the playground at the end of the day.
In environment, the firm supports the Kirklees rangers at Castle Hill, Denby Dale and Dewsbury country park – planting trees, building walls and footpaths, clearing scrubland and digging ponds. Staff have created outdoor learning areas at four local schools and outdoor space for people with disabilities at two local care homes.
