To kick off its 125th birthday celebrations this year, family-owned construction firm Beard Swindon has launched a staff fundraising campaign to raise £15,000 this year for two local charities.
The initiative is part of a company-wide campaign to raise £125,000 for local charities in areas where Beard operates across the South of England in 2017.
Chosen by the family-owned firm’s 93 Swindon office staff, the two organisations are the Brighter Futures Radiotherapy Appeal, a new radiotherapy centre to be built at Great Western Hospital, and Discovering Autistic Spectrum Happiness (DASH) which supports adults in Swindon with Asperger’s and autism.
The event was celebrated at the Beard Big Charity Breakfast organised at the company’s new Roundhouse building in Faraday Road.
Both charities will benefit from a variety of fundraising activities organised by Beard staff throughout the year which will range from auctions and bake-offs, to the Three Peaks Challenge. Additional funding support will come from Beard and The Beard Charitable Foundation which was launched last year.
The Beard Charitable Foundation was set up last year by the Beard family to provide funding support to Beard employees in their charitable and community pursuits across the South of England. It also makes grants of around £20,000 annually, as well as strategic donations to local charities for projects which promote construction industry careers.
“These are two incredible local charities who make such a valuable contribution to the Swindon community,” says Marc Bayley, director of Beard Swindon. “I’m delighted that our staff have chosen to support them in 2017. We’ve got some great ideas for fundraising and I’m looking forward to also getting involved in raising money for these very worthy causes.”
Chloe Thomas, fundraising manager comments: “We are thrilled that Beard Swindon has chosen the Radiotherapy Appeal as their charity of the year! The Radiotherapy Centre will mean patients from Swindon and the surrounding areas will be able to receive vital treatment without having to travel over 70 miles a day to the nearest centre in Oxford. With the support of local companies like Beard, we will reach our £2.9 million target sooner.”
Adrian Embling, manager of DASH comments: "DASH is delighted to be invited to celebrate Beard's 125th birthday. As a local lad, I am happy that a local, family business is still thriving. A huge thank you from me, all the team and the many people we support, for thinking of DASH and choosing us to be a beneficiary of your wonderful fund-raising activities."
Members of the community can sponsor or donate to DASH and Brighter Futures Radiotherapy Appeal, at https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/beard125
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