Swindon-headquartered construction firm Beard has kicked off its 125th anniversary celebrations with a staff fundraising campaign to raise £15,000 for two local charities.
The initiative is part of a company-wide campaign to raise £125,000 for local charities this year in areas where it operates across the South of England.
Two organisations have been chosen by the family-owned firm’s 93 Swindon office staff – 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 launch of the fundraising was celebrated at the Beard Big Charity Breakfast staged at the company’s recently-opened Roundhouse building in Faraday Road.
Both charities will benefit from a variety of fundraising activities organised by Beard staff throughout the year, ranging from auctions and bake-offs, to the Three Peaks Challenge. Additional funding support will come from Beard and the firm’s charitable foundation, which was launched last year.
The foundation was set up by the Beard family to provide funding support to Beard employees in their charitable and community pursuits. It also makes grants of around £20,000 annually, as well as strategic donations to local charities for projects which promote construction industry careers.
Beard director Marc Bayley said: “These are two incredible local charities who make such a valuable contribution to the Swindon community.
“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.”
Brighter Futures Radiotherapy Appeal fundraising manager Chloe Thomas added: “We are thrilled that Beard has chosen the Radiotherapy Appeal as its Swindon 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 £2.9m target sooner.”
DASH manager Adrian Embling said: “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.”
Pictured, from left: Adrian Embling, manager of DASH; Marc Bayley, Beard Swindon director, and Chloe Thomas, fundraising manager for Brighter Futures Radiotherapy Appeal
