Disposables UK

A MELTHAM company is championing charitable causes.

Disposables UK, which manufactures and supplies washroom products such as toilet rolls, hand towels and wipes, prides itself in being active in the local community.

The company has its own charity committee, called Kiddiesline, to organise fundraising events for children’s charities locally and across the country – including ChildLine, Children in Need, the West Yorkshire Forget Me Not Trust, Holly Bank School and Kirkwood Hospice all benefiting from the fund.

To date, the firm has raised more than £22,000 to help good causes. The committee is made up of employees who were delighted to be invited by ChildLine to meet the Countess of Wessex at a recent event.

She enjoyed hearing about the company’s charitable activities – including its legendary Giant Bog Roll Push, which involved directors, employees and their families pushing a roll of loo paper – weighing in at 325 kilos and big enough to provide 4,400 ordinary toilet rolls – around a six-and-half mile route.

This year, the company is focusing its fundraising efforts on ChildLine and the Forget Me Not Trust – raising more than £2,000 so far. Events to raise the cash have included a Chinese night at the Canton Chef in Honley, a curry night at the Cinnamon Lodge in Honley and a number of raffles.

Disposables UK, which began trading in 1987 and has almost 10 staff, has supported Huddersfield Giants and local sports organisations in Meltham. The Giants wear the names of the company and its Bay West brand on their shirts. Disposables UK has also sponsored Holme Silver Band since 2002, providing the musicians with new uniforms and other items.

UP & Working

A RECRUITMENT agency with a difference is helping disadvantaged people into work.

UP & Working, based at the Media Centre in Huddersfield, goes beyond the traditional recruitment agency to reach people in local communities who might otherwise struggle to get into the jobs market.

The not-for-profit agency deploys Community Champions – volunteers who work in the heart of their communities to help people achieve their full potential. The agency also works with local businesses to encourage them to recruit from groups outside their usual pool of recruits.

Success stories include UP & Working candidate Stephen Buckle, who secured a full-time job as a sales assistant with Currys in Batley following support from his employment adviser.

Stephen joined the UP & Working programme in June after a lengthy period out of work due to a repetitive injury, which had worsened due to the nature of his last job.

As a result, Stephen was suffering from lack of confidence and his CV and interview skills needed attention.

UP & Working helped him update and improve his CV, hone his interview technique and build on his interest in IT.

He applied for the job at Currys and was successful in landing the post in July.

Another candidate, Oralu Mai signed up to UP & Working in September last year when she was suffering from low confidence.

As a result of help from the agency, she now volunteers for the NHS and helps run a local community shop.

Since January, 2008, UP & Working, which is funded through the Kirklees Access to Employment programme funded by Yorkshire Forward, has registered more than 200 candidates and provided them with employment support such as CV writing advice, interviewing skills, confidence building, training courses and job search support.

They have also supported 23 candidates into full-time employment and 13 candidates into part-time work.

Ambitions4Kirklees

A COMPANY in Mirfield is providing help for people with learning difficulties.

Ambitions4Kirklees was founded by Liz Feeny, Bev Sissons and Jon Nissler who had a dream to help young people with learning difficulties who had few options after completing full-time education.

Said Bev: "We wanted to create choice and options with support for the young people and their families.

"We had no support to do this – only our own resources and determination. Some called it stupidity! Two of us gave up our full-time jobs to follow our dream."

Ambitions4Kirklees, which is a community interest company, employs four staff as well as Bev and Liz as paid directors.

They provide opportunities for young people to develop their skills in areas such as photography and horticulture.

In one project, youngsters grew their own pumpkins which were turned into tasty soup by Dewsbury-based The Good Soup Company. As an extra boost to the teenagers, their detailed appeared on the labels for the soup packaging.

The soup went on sale to hotels, restaurants and kitchens across the region – with part of the proceeds going back to Ambitions4Kirklees to help more young people.

Said Bev: The work we do profiles the abilities of our young people and not their disabilities. We create opportunities where the skills they have developed can be shared with others and they are looked upon as someone with something to give – instead of someone to be pitied.

"The fact that some of our young people are in work-based learning placements and doing really well demonstrates how successful we have been."