Category Archives: Charity News

Charity, Charity News, Midlands, Transport

Veezu offers free rides to Midlands Air Ambulance Charity’s lifesaving crew

Veezu has renewed their partnership with Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, offering a vital service to its advanced pre-hospital emergency service.

Formerly known as Go Carz and A2B Radio Cars in the region, Veezu has set up an account for the air ambulance crew, offering a free taxi service for them to get back from hospital when they have travelled by land ambulance or if the aircraft has needed to return due to nighttime and low visibility.

Midlands Air Ambulance Charity operates and funds three air ambulances and a fleet of critical care cars covering six Midlands counties: Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Worcestershire and the West Midlands. It’s vital pre-hospital emergency service responds to some of the most traumatic incidents such as cardiac arrests, heart attacks and strokes.

Each year, it costs between £13-14 million to maintain its clinical operations, where the charity relies solely on the support of local people and organisations to fund future lifesaving missions.

They have recently opened a new base in Shifnal that will allow them to host more members of staff, events, and educational visits. Veezu will be helping to make travel to and from the base more accessible with QR code displays providing an easy booking service.

The account, which was set up last year following a cash donation, has provided a vital service to the crew of critical care paramedics and doctors.

Pam Hodgetts, corporate partnerships manager at Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, said: “Veezu has been supporting Midlands Air Ambulance Charity for a number of years, providing valuable financial and pro bono support.

“On occasion, our aircraft need to return to base due to nighttime flying restrictions, leaving our crew stranded at major trauma centres across the Midlands. Veezu provides a free taxi service to ensure the crew can return to base once their patient handover is complete. As you can imagine, this not only provides our crew with peace of mind but also saves the charity a lot of money. We are extremely grateful for their ongoing support.”

Graham Hoof, regional operations director of Veezu in the Midlands, said: “We’re always happy to offer cash donations to charities but in this case, we thought we could offer something that was of tangible benefit to the charity.

“The Midlands Air Ambulance Charity account has proved useful to its crew over the last year, so it was a no brainer to renew the partnership. We’re so happy we’ve been able to help its team of highly skilled clinicians in instances where they have travelled to hospital via land ambulance or are unable to travel by via aircraft due to poor visibility. After a long shift, especially one where you’ve helped save lives, the last thing you need is to worry about how you’re getting home. “

Charity & CSR, Charity News, News, Recruitment News

Health Company Cygnet Joins Tent UK

Cygnet has joined Tent UK, a new coalition of 70 major companies that are committed to helping refugees become job ready and secure employment in the UK.

Cygnet has been a longstanding member of the Tent Partnership for Refugees – a global network of companies committed to helping refugees access labour markets. To date, Cygnet has hired over 300 refugees and where appropriate has provided tailored training opportunities to support their career development.

Other companies joining the coalition include the likes of Amazon, Deloitte, McDonalds, Microsoft and Virgin.

Ben Hopewell, Head of Resourcing at Cygnet said: “Tent is an organisation that supports individuals in the UK who are under a refugee status in finding work, whether that be in their previous profession or a new career. We’re extremely excited to be partnering with them, to provide opportunities to skilled individuals, expand our talent pools and develop our knowledge and understanding around refugees within the UK.”

In recent years, the UK has welcomed more than 500,000 refugees with approximately half hailing from Ukraine and the remaining half from Afghanistan, Hong Kong, Syria, and elsewhere – yet many have been unable to find formal employment. While they have the legal right to work, refugees are over 20% less likely to be employed than Brits, with this gap widening to 30% for refugee women, according to the UK government.

At the same time, the UK is experiencing labour shortages, with almost one million job vacancies, across key industries such as hospitality, food service and others including manufacturing & healthcare.

“At a moment when UK employers face significant labour shortages, yet refugees across the country struggle to find decent employment, we see an extraordinary opportunity for our work,” said Gideon Maltz, CEO of Tent. “The coalition of companies that has come together to launch Tent UK understands that we need to act at scale to help hundreds of thousands of refugees in the UK secure jobs, rebuild their lives, and integrate into their new communities. Tent is uniquely placed and ready to help companies develop ambitious programmes to include refugees.”

“Tent is immensely proud to have brought together 70 leading businesses resolved to connect refugees to meaningful employment,” said Jen Stobart, UK Director at Tent.

“Refugees face numerous barriers to formal employment, such as lower language proficiency, transportation issues, lack of childcare options, as well as a lack of social and professional networks. These hurdles require particular attention from businesses, who – by making small upfront investments and tailoring their hiring practices – can level the playing field and give a fair chance to the many refugees still looking for a job in the UK.”

Tent UK will offer participating companies a host of services free of charge including: resources and trainings for HR teams; the sharing of best practices and ideas distilled from Tent’s global network of over 400 major companies across a dozen countries who are hiring and integrating refugees into their workforces, as well as tailored programmes and insights to the UK market context; regular convenings and workshops with other Tent UK member companies for peer-to-peer learning; and introductions to best-in-class partners across the UK that can source refugee talent based on the type of roles, the location, and their past performance.

Business, Charity Events, Charity News, Events, News from Wales, South Wales, Swansea

Howden official Swansea office opening flanked by rugby star

The official opening of a new Howden office in Swansea was flanked by Welsh rugby legend Tom Shanklin at an event last week, Thursday February 22. 

Howden, the international insurance intermediary group, began trading from the new office in Axis Court, Riverside Business Park, Swansea, last month, with this event marking the official opening of the new location. The office has already welcomed 14 skilled brokers since the beginning of the year, with plans to recruit more talent in the coming months.  

The official opening event saw Tom, who won 70 caps for Wales between 2001 – 2010, share his experiences with Welsh rugby and the British & Irish Lions—an association that aligns with Howden’s headline sponsorship for the upcoming Lion’s tour. 

Guests at the opening event also participated in a raffle in aid of Wales Air Ambulance Charity, with prizes including 4-ball at the Celtic Manor, a £250 Gaucho voucher, and a Fortnum and Mason hamper.  

The creation of an office in Swansea is part of Howden UK & Ireland’s commitment to further strengthen its foothold in the South and West Wales region, providing risk advisory services to businesses. 

On the event, Gary Stevens, Regional Managing Director, said: “Embracing the spirit of Welsh resilience and teamwork, the official opening of our Swansea office alongside rugby icon Tom Shanklin signifies not only our commitment to the region but also our shared values of excellence and community. Just as in rugby, where teamwork and strategy are paramount, at Howden, we are dedicated to working closely with our clients to navigate risks and achieve success together. 

“The swift momentum of our Swansea office speaks volumes, and we’re thrilled to have assembled such a skilled and seasoned team, with more to join in the coming months.” 

 

About Howden  

Howden is a leading global insurance intermediary group with employee ownership at its heart.  Founded in 1994, it operates in 50 countries across Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, the USA, Australia and New Zealand, employing 16,000 people and handling $38bn of premium on behalf of clients. 

  

For more information, please visit www.howdengroupholdings.com 

Business, Charity, Charity News, Driving, News, Transport

Veezu donates £11k to Childline Cymru

VEEZU, Wales’ leading private hire technology platform, has donated £10,989 to NSPCC Cymru following a month’s fundraising activity. 

 

Veezu donated a portion of its margin from more than 100,000 rides in South Wales, booked via its app in December, to cover the expenses of 2,700 calls to Childline during the festive season as part of its Funded by Veezu program. 

 

Funded by Veezu offers residents, charities and sports teams the opportunity to apply for funding and grants to help support them with their local community initiatives. 

 

NSPCC Cymru provides support to children, families and professionals in caring for their children and providing therapeutic assistance to help children move on from abuse. Childline is a free service for children and young people in need of support or advice who delivered an average of 16,300 counselling sessions a month last year. 

 

This is not the first time that Veezu is supporting NSPCC Cymru, as they annually donate to the charity through their Childline Club Cymru membership. 

 

Hywel Peterson, Chairman at NSPCC Cymru, said: “We’re incredibly thankful for Veezu’s generous donation. It will make us make a big difference and help us ensure that our trained volunteer counsellors can be there for every child across Wales, whenever they need us most.  

 

Nathan Bowles, CEO at Veezu, said: “We are delighted to have raised so much for NSPCC Cymru. Their work is of incredible importance and is one that we admire so highly here at Veezu. I feel privileged to be able to contribute to their life-changing work.” 

 

Bereavement, Business, Business News, Charity News, Wales News

2wish Cymru revealed as chosen charity for Wales Business Awards 2024

Bereavement support charity 2wish Cymru has been announced as the chosen charity for this year’s Wales Business Awards.

2wish Cymru was founded by its CEO Rhian Mannings in 2012 in memory of her son George and husband Paul. The charity provides immediate and ongoing support to families, individuals and professionals that have been affected by the sudden and traumatic death of a child or young adult aged 25 and under.

2wish Cymru aims to ensure that every emergency department in Wales has a suitable bereavement suite for families, that memory boxes are available for families at each hospital and that immediate bereavement support is available for suddenly bereaved families. The charity offers counselling, complementary therapy and play therapy to those it supports.

2wish Cymru primarily operates in Wales but has recently expanded its service into England.

Chambers Wales South East, South West and Mid will be raising awareness of the charity’s work and fundraising for 2wish Cymru during the Wales Business Awards ceremony in May.

The event, which celebrates the best of Welsh business, takes place on 16 May at The Vale Resort, with broadcaster Andrea Byrne returning as host. Businesses have until 29 February to enter the awards.

Rhian Mannings, CEO of 2wish Cymru, said: “When a family loses a child or young adult suddenly, the effects are devastating for all who knew and loved them. Our charity’s mission is to ensure that all those affected receive the bereavement support they deserve; it’s essential that bereaved families know that they are not alone in what can be an extremely distressing and isolating time.

“We are very grateful to have been selected as the charity for this year’s Wales Business Awards. We are excited to meet the finalists, winners and businesses in attendance at the ceremony to share our message, create connections and highlight opportunities to get involved with our work.”

Paul Butterworth, CEO of Chambers Wales South East, South West and Mid, said: “We are delighted to be supporting 2wish Cymru as our chosen charity for the Wales Business Awards this year. We are looking forward to encouraging the Welsh business community to get involved with our fundraising efforts during the ceremony, in addition to shining a spotlight on 2wish Cymru’s incredibly important work here in Wales.”

For further information on 2wish Cymru, visit https://www.2wish.org.uk/.

For further information on the Wales Business Awards, including how to enter, visit https://cw-seswm.com/events/awards-2024-enter/

Business News, Charity, Charity Events, Charity News

City Hospice sets exciting new challenge in its 40th year

City Hospice has set a fundraising challenge for businesses and community organisations to mark the charity’s 40th anniversary.

The charity was established in 1984 to provide community palliative care to the people of Cardiff. Over the four decades since its inception, City Hospice’s services have expanded to meet the needs of its patients, families and the wider community.

In addition to home-based specialist palliative care for patients with life-limiting and terminal illnesses, the charity now offers welfare advice, complementary therapies, counselling and bereavement support.

To help City Hospice celebrate its 40th year and continue to care for Cardiff, businesses and community groups are being invited to take part in the 40 Charity Challenge and make a significant impact.

Each business or organisation that takes part in the challenge will be provided with £40, which has kindly been donated by sponsor Hodge Bank. Participants will then have until November to transform their £40 into a minimum of £1600 through creative and innovative fundraising.

An awards lunch will be held at the end of the year to recognise the achievements and fundraising efforts of participating businesses, organisations and community groups.

A number of local businesses including Apple Cardiff, Carter Lauren Construction, CPS Group, Effective Communication, Hilton Hotel, Isla Alexander Estate Agents, Jellyfish, Richard Andrews Architects, Route Media, Space2B at the Maltings, St David’s Centre and Wessex Garages have signed up for the challenge.

Sophie Mear, Office Manager at Space2B at the Maltings, said: “We are delighted to be supporting City Hospice as our charity of the year throughout 2024. Space2B at the Maltings is home to 130 businesses employing some 600 people, so we are only too aware that some of our families, whether tenants, colleagues or suppliers will sadly be affected by cancer or other life-limiting illness.

“We will do as much as we can to raise vital funds through the year, and we will be encouraging our tenants to take part in the 40 Charity Challenge being funded by Hodge Bank. This is what makes The Maltings special; that sense of community, which our late founder Nick Williams OBE always instilled in us from the very beginning. We are very happy to support City Hospice to continue his legacy.”

Nicky Piper, Corporate Partnerships Manager at City Hospice, said: “It is fantastic to see so many businesses already signing up to take on the 40 Charity Challenge in our anniversary year. From bake sales and bingo nights to skydives and team hikes, the fundraising possibilities for this challenge are endless and we can’t wait to see what those taking part decide to do!

“Our work, caring for our patients and families, would not be possible without the support of our local community, businesses and supporters. We hope this challenge provides participants with the opportunity to have fun and be creative, while making a difference to the lives of so many in the city.”

For further information, visit https://www.cityhospice.org.uk/get-involved/40-charity-challenge/

Business, Charity, Charity News, Food & Drink, Food and Drink, Wales

Peter’s gets a new look for Velindre campaign

PETER’S, the leading Welsh pastry baker, is proudly partnering with The Charity of Velindre Cancer Centre for its 2024 Wear Red campaign.

 

Peter’s has committed to changing the colour of their brand and packaging for the first time ever to red from the classic green in support of Velindre. Peter’s will also be sponsoring Velindre’s Wear Red event on 2nd February to help raise vital funds and awareness for Wales’ largest cancer centre.

 

Peter’s is a long-standing supporter of Velindre, with donation bins located across their canteens and restaurants. They sponsored last year’s Castle 2 Castle event which marked Velindre’s biggest amount raised to date for the event, totalling £53,023.97.

 

In addition to local fundraising, Peter’s Managing Director Mike Grimwood along with key members of the management team, has participated in number of gruelling charity bike rides and hikes for Velindre, including climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, cycling from Paris to Bordeaux, completing the Las Vegas’ 3 Canyons ride and conquering Sa Calobra in Majorca.  In total, the events raised over £1,595,185.84. The next challenge to be undertaken by the Peter’s team is a 625km ride to Florida Key West.

 

In addition to converting over their flagship products to red packaging, Peter’s will be launching a radio campaign spanning 3 weeks on Heart South Wales and Smooth Radio Wales to support #PaintWalesRed.

 

Known as the ‘Hospital of Hope’, The Charity of Velindre Cancer Centre funds projects that improve the experience of patients receiving treatment and care at the hospital. The charity hosts a range of events and campaigns every year, and funds ground breaking research programmes into many areas of cancer.

 

Mike Grimwood, Managing Director at Peter’s, said: “As a brand deeply rooted in our community, Peter’s are proud to support Velindre Wear Red campaign.

 

“Velindre holds a special place in our hearts, as some of our own team members, family and friends have experienced the exceptional care and support provided by the Velindre Cancer Centre first-hand. Together, we aspire to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those battling cancer, championing hope, and contributing to a brighter future for our community.

 

Kylie McKee, Head of Fundraising at Velindre, said: “The generous ongoing support of Peter’s is one we are incredibly grateful for. We want to spread the word about this campaign to as many people, organisations and groups as possible and encourage everyone to get involved to raise vital funds for Velindre.

 

“All money raised via donations allows us to support the funding of ground breaking research, specialist equipment and nurses which enables us to go above and beyond for our patients and their families.”

 

To continue their commitment to Velindre, Peter’s will once again be sponsoring Velindre’s annual Castle 2 Castle run in September on their 10th year anniversary.

 

In 2023, 450 participants joined in the Wear Red campaign and helped raise £75,000 for the charity, now, with Peter’s on board to help push awareness the charity are targeting £100,000 for this year’s campaign.

 

For more information on how you, or your organisation can get involved, click here.

Business News, Charity News

Swansea Building Society Continues Commitment to Maggie’s Swansea 

In a noteworthy announcement, Swansea Building Society has confirmed the continuation of its ongoing partnership with Maggie’s Swansea for the third consecutive year. The decision, met with resounding endorsement from the Society’s staff, emphasises their steadfast dedication to supporting the essential services provided by Maggie’s Swansea. 

Over the past two years, Swansea Building Society has exemplified its commitment through a diverse array of successful fundraising activities. From dress-down days and customer refreshment services to raffles, sponsored dog walks, open water swimming, and participation in the Swansea Half Marathon, these initiatives have collectively raised an impressive cumulative total exceeding £60,000. 

The Society was also the headline sponsor of Maggie’s annual ball two years running, as well as its highly successful inaugural Christmas Extravaganza, held in December 2023.

This substantial financial support has played a crucial role in empowering Maggie’s Swansea to deliver its essential services and support to those navigating the challenges of cancer.

Located at Singleton Hospital, Maggie’s Swansea provides free practical, emotional, and social support to people with cancer, as well as their families and friends. The centre works in collaboration with conventional cancer therapies, offering a caring environment to provide support, information, and practical advice. This includes financial and benefits advice, support with treatment decisions, and access to other cancer services. In addition, Maggie’s Swansea also provides nutrition workshops, complementary therapies, and other services.

Building on its successful fundraising over the last two years, Swansea Building Society is determined to continue to raise as much as possible in its last year supporting Maggie’s and make an even greater impact in the lives of those dealing with cancer during 2024.

It has many fundraising events already in the calendar, including a mutt strutt (sponsored dog walk), dip a day, Swansea half marathon, Long Course triathlon, cycling the length of Wales, and climbing the Welsh three peaks challenge. The Society will also be sponsoring Maggie’s Annual Ball in October and it’s second Christmas Extravaganza in December.

Alun Williams, Chief Executive Officer of Swansea Building Society, said:

“Our commitment to supporting local communities is at the heart of everything we do. We are delighted to continue our support for Maggie’s Swansea and look forward to making a positive difference to those who need it most.”

Lucia Osmond, Centre Fundraising Manager at Maggie’s Swansea, added:

“We are extremely thankful to Swansea Building Society for choosing Maggie’s Swansea as its official staff charity for the third consecutive year. The support of the Society and its staff means so much to us, and we have been inspired by their generosity and commitment to our cause.”

As the collaboration enters its third year, Swansea Building Society and Maggie’s Swansea anticipate another successful partnership, making a lasting impact on the lives of those affected by cancer.

Charity, Charity Events, Charity News, News

Lord’s Taverners Wales raises £26k in charity Christmas lunches

The ever-popular Lord’s Taverners Wales Christmas lunches in December 2023 raised a further £26,000 for the charity.

 

Last December was the 39th year the Christmas lunches have been held in Wales.

 

Held at Cardiff’s Marriott hotel and hosted by well-known Wales comedian Rod Woodward, the two lunches attracted several hundred guests, who helped to raise £26,000 for the youth cricket and disability sports charity.

 

The two events were memorable festive celebrations for the run up to Christmas. Guests were treated to performances from a variety of stars, including comedians Daliso Chaponda, Josh Daniels, Nina Gilligan and Abandoman, as well as magicians El Baldinho, James Hawker, Adam Reeves and musician Jack Chandrinos.

 

The money raised from the event will go towards the charity’s Wicketz, Super 1s and Table Cricket programmes, along with funding sports wheelchairs, sensory and play equipment facilities and minibuses for special needs schools.

 

Andrew Gibson, Chairman of Lord’s Taverners Wales, said: “We were delighted to hold our annual Christmas lunch once again and welcome a host of friendly faces, new and old, to raise important funds for the charity and support our work going into the new year.

 

“I want to extend a huge thank you to all our supporters in 2023 who have helped us reach incredible fundraising targets, and I look forward to our events in 2024, especially our 40th anniversary of these Christmas lunches.”

 

The Lord’s Taverners Wales supports some of the most marginalised and at-risk young people across the country using sport and recreation to build links between communities and encourage groups to play sport together. The charity currently runs its Wicketz programme in Barry, Ely, Llanrumney and Pontypridd.

For more information about the Lord’s Taverners Wales and the support they offer, visit https://www.lordstaverners.org/our-regions/south-wales/

Charity News, Christmas, News

PKF Smith Cooper Systems Launches Spare A Chair Christmas Campaign

PKF Smith Cooper Systems, an award-winning Sage business partner, has launched its 2023 Christmas campaign, ‘Spare A Chair’.

The company is asking local businesses to donate the cost of an extra seat at their Christmas party. The total raised will be split between three charities: the NSPCC, Shelter, and the Derby Food 4 Thought Alliance.

This campaign follows previous work fundraising for charities based across the country, including donations to the Thames Valley Air Ambulance, Winchester Basics Bank, and The Cowshed as part of their event earlier this year in Reading.

PKF Smith Cooper Systems’ Managing Director, Chris Smith, said:

“Over the last few years we have done some great things working specifically with food banks local to our offices. This Christmas, we really wanted to take things up a level and had this idea as we were organising our own Christmas party! For the price of one extra attendee at the Christmas party, businesses can make a major contribution to one of the charities below and help the most vulnerable at a particularly tough time of year.”

Companies who want to donate to the campaign can do so by going to the campaign’s dedicated page on GiveWheel    

About Shelter: Shelter exists to defend the right to a safe home and fight the devastating impact the housing emergency has on people and society. Shelter believes that home is everything. Learn more at www.shelter.org.uk.

About NSPCC: The NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children) is the leading children’s charity in the UK, working to prevent child abuse and neglect. Through its helpline, therapeutic services, and campaigning efforts, the NSPCC aims to ensure that every child has a safe and nurturing childhood. Learn more at www.nspcc.org.uk.

About Derby Food 4 Thought Alliance: Initially created to respond to the immediate needs of people in Derby at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Derby Food 4 Thought Alliance now supports people experiencing food poverty, through food provision, signposting, education, and advice. Learn more at www.derbyfood4thoughtalliance.org.uk.

About PKF Smith Cooper Systems: Founded in 2014, PKF Smith Cooper Systems is a Sage business partner, based in Derby. They work across the UK, in multiple industries, to implement Sage’s business accounting software into companies of all shapes and sizes. The company has a proud track record of supporting causes both local and national.