Against this year's tough economic backdrop, many businesses would be forgiven for adopting the mindset of ‘charity begins at home’.
Companies across the South West have seen their finances squeezed by 40-year-high inflation and the cost of living crisis. More than ever firms have had to protect their own operations and interests as best they can, while many businesses have sadly ceased trading amid the continued uncertainty.
But Christmas is a time for giving, and that goes for the South West business community too. So here are eight examples of South West businesses who have raised cash for good causes in 2023.
Huboo
The Bristol-based e-commerce fulfilment provider has signed up to The Brownlee Foundation, to enable its UK-wide 2024 Aldi Medal Challenge.
The Brownlee Foundation was founded by Olympic triathletes Alistair and Jonny Brownlee, to inspire children from all backgrounds to enjoy sport, lead active lifestyles and benefit from the opportunities provided by regular sport and exercise.
The Aldi Medal Challenge, which kicks off in January 2024, rewards children for making positive changes in how they approach physical activity - whether that’s trying out new sports or active travel to school, spending more time outdoors or simply being more engaged in PE lessons.
Huboo will dispatch 30,000 medals to schools across the UK, allowing teachers to work with their pupils to set meaningful challenges suited to their ability and receive medals on completion of each challenge.
Martin Bysh, co-founder and chief executive of Huboo, said: “Alistair and Jonny Brownlee have done so much to inspire our nation, and it’s an honour to support them in their latest efforts to get young people living healthier, more active lives. Just like eCommerce brands, not-for-profit organisations require fast, reliable and consistent fulfilment to meet their stakeholders’ expectations. You can’t have a medal challenge without a medal, which is why we’re on hand to make sure every participating child can enjoy their moment on the podium.”
Cornish Lithium
The Penryn-based company Cornish Lithium added extra festive cheer to a Christmas market at the heart of Cornwall’s heritage mining district
The mineral exploration and development company, which has undertaken a number of projects to demonstrate the commercial capability of lithium production in Cornwall, sponsoring The Heartlands ‘Nadelik’ Christmas Market earlier in December.
Cornish Lithium’s sponsorship of this event has made it possible for the Heartlands team to share vouchers for Santa’s Grotto with low-income families who live in the area so that everyone can experience the magic of the season.
“Christmas is a time for community, for caring and for sharing, and it has been a tough year for a lot of families across the UK,” said Jeremy Wrathall, founder and chief executive of Cornish Lithium. “We are proud to sponsor this event for local people in the heart of Cornwall’s heritage mining district, not far from our Lithium in Geothermal Waters Pilot Plant in United Downs, and hope our sponsorship will help to ease some of the pressure on parents, give pleasure to Cornish children and add some extra festive cheer.
“By supporting Heartlands and its mining museum, which is run by local volunteers, we are also helping to preserve the heritage of this important site for the future.”
Window Widgets and The Residence Collection
A dedicated team from the fenestration industry, including members from Gloucester-based The Residence Collection, and Window Widgets, has tackled the National Three Peaks Challenge to raise vital funds for motor neurone disease.
Staff from the Gloucester-based fenestration companies, were part of a 15-strong team to embark on a gruelling 27-mile hike across Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Mount Snowdon.
Completed in 24 hours, the team clocked a combined total of 1,035,776 steps and 43.45km climbed across the three peaks summited.
The challenge was completed to raise funds and awareness for Motor Neurone Disease Association as part of their commitment to Jaki’s Journey. Jaki’s Journey holds a personal connection to organiser Sam Weber from Sussex County Windows, as a much-loved friend was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in summer 2022 - just seven months after getting married.
The team originally set themselves a target of £1,000 which they have surpassed. Thanks to their generous supporters, they have raised a huge £7,716 plus an extra £1178.75 in gift aid.
Sam Weber, organiser and general manager for Sussex County Windows, said: “It never ceases to amaze me that both the challenge and the people always make fundraising so special.
“When one of my dearest friends was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease only seven months after her wedding day I felt compelled to do something to raise money for MNDA. Fast track seven months, our kind and generous glazing community had come together to be a part of Jaki’s Journey, and I am immensely proud of this fine group of individuals.
“Throughout the challenge we have experienced every type of emotion possible. During the Three Peaks the team endured torrential rain and 40kmh winds, but their resilience never waivered, and it made the training and fundraising all worth it.”
Jo Trotman, marketing manager at The Residence Collection and Window Widgets, added: "As a business we’re incredibly proud to have been able to take part in this challenge with other determined members of the fenestration industry to raise vital funds for the Motor Neurone Disease Association in line with Jaki’s Journey.
“It was definitely one of the most challenging experiences many of us have ever faced physically but our collective determination to raise funds for Motor Neurone Disease Association kept us going.”
Saltrock
Founded in Penzance and now based in Braunton in Devon, the surfwear brand has been working with The Wave Project, for a little more than a year. The charity seeks to improve the mental health and well-being of young people through the power of surf therapy, and said it had successfully made a difference to 2,035 people’s lives in 2022.
The Wave Project began 10 years ago on the beaches of Cornwall, and since then the project has expanded across the UK but Cornwall remains one of its busiest locations. The projects run in Bude, Polzeath, Newquay, Gwithian, St Ives and in Devon they are held at Bigbury, Croyde, Goodrington, Sidmouth and Westward Ho!
Between April and June of this year, Saltrock and The Wave Project organised a series of community talks across the UK. The purpose of these talks was to raise awareness of the surf therapy support that The Wave Project offers to young people who are struggling with mental health challenges and to encourage communities to come together to collectively support them. This project ran across 11 communities, including Newquay, Bristol, Portrush and Scotland, all with established surf therapy programmes in the UK.
Susie Croft, head of fundraising at The Wave Project, said: “We are thrilled to be working with the team at Saltrock on so many different levels and see this as a great partnership. The staff team are already committed to helping us achieve our vision of expanding our surf therapy to ensure that it is available to even more children across the UK.“The cost of living crisis is going to have a devastating effect on children’s mental health and thanks to our partnership with Saltrock we can help those who need us most – be that through staff fundraising, volunteering or raising our profile so that more families know about the support we can give their children.”
Lisa Knowles-Thomson, head of HR at Saltrock, added: “We’re passionate about giving back to our local communities and this partnership allows our teams across the country to get involved, which will be challenging and rewarding. Many of our team members love the water and some are keen surfers and swimmers; this is a wonderful opportunity to get hands-on experience with their programmes and choose how they want to support them, in the water or out.”
Flapjackery
The Devon-based business, known for its gluten-free flapjacks, has raised nearly £2,500 for charity through its shops in Tavistock, Plymouth, Falmouth, St Ives, Minehead, Bath, Wells, Fordmore Farm Shop near Cullompton, and Dartmouth
The money was raised through an initiative that encouraged customers to choose a more environmentally friendly option when they purchased flapjacks and other sweet treats.
The business rewarded its nominated charity in each shop when customers chose to forgo bags or boxes with their purchases. It donated 20p to charity, and additionally, for every purchase of one of their charity boxes, 50p was donated.
The donations will be distributed among nominated charities: Dartmoor Search and Rescue Group, Plymouth RNLI, Minehead RNLI, St Ives RNLI, and Somerset & Dorset Air Ambulance.
Flapjackery said the initiative also prevented more than 10,000 cardboard boxes and carrier bags from going into recycling facilities.
Co-founder Carol Myott commented: “We’re delighted to be making our annual donation to charity. To raise such a substantial sum is thanks to the hard work of our shop staff who encourage people not to take their flapjacks home in boxes and bags. We also have charity flapjacks in each shop, with a proportion of each donated to charity.”
Eden Project
This year marked the 10th annual Sleep Out at the Eden Project, which has seen hundreds of participants over the years coming together to sleep beneath the canopy of the Cornish visitor attraction’s Link Building with nothing more than sheets of cardboard and sleeping bags to keep them warm.
Close to 90 determined fundraisers spent a chilly night bedding down outside the Biomes in November, raising more than £12,000 for homelessness charities St Petrocs and the Amber Foundation.
The event came at a time when the two charities had seen a significant increase in people struggling to afford basic essentials, with demand for their services at an all-time high. According to research from Shelter, around 271,000 people were recorded as homeless in England at the beginning of this year, 123,000 of which were children.
The Amber Foundation has reported a 30% increase in referrals to its Devon centre this summer alone.
Dan James, Eden’s development director, said: “The last ten years of hosting, and taking part in, the Sleep Out at Eden, I’ve had the honour to meet lots of former clients of St Petrocs and the Amber Foundation.
“What is incredibly humbling is that the vast majority were living normal lives before their personal circumstances changed – job loss, relationship breakdown, unforeseen changes to their support network – it could happen to any one of us. Empathy and compassion are the greatest tools we as a society have to help change perceptions and support those who find themselves in a vulnerable position.”
The Driftwood Spars
The pub in St Agnes, Cornwall, has donated a years' worth of cash raised at charity events and through a percentage of beer sales to The Mermaid Centre Fund, part of Royal Cornwall Hospitals Charity at the Royal Cornwall Hospital, Treliske.
A total of £5,338.04 was donated to help buy vital equipment, train staff, and achieve more lifesaving early diagnoses.
Pub landlady Louise Treseder said: "Every year we choose a charity partner, raising funds for causes close to our hearts with a varied programme of fun, community events hosted in the pub. Sadly we've had quite few customers - both male and female - diagnosed with breast cancer recently. All have been treated by the Mermaid Centre. It's really important to us that these facilities remain in Cornwall and continue to offer such an excellent and supportive service."
The donation was handed over in person by one of the pub’s regulars Paul 'Bomber' Sowden, who was himself treated by The Mermaid Centre recently.
Mr Sowden said: "It was an absolute honour to deliver the funds raised by my fabulous local to The Mermaid Centre today. Both have done excellent work supporting me in my diagnosis and recovery - The Mermaid Centre providing the highest quality care, and Lou and all my friends at The Drifty helping me keep my chin up through it all. We're lucky to have such a community-focused pub in the village which goes out of its way to help people and support local good causes."
Burges Salmon
The law firm was amongst the very first to perform at the newly-reopened Bristol Beacon venue, in a mammoth charity event aimed at raising funds for the firm’s charitable theme, No Child Goes Hungry.
‘Burges Salmon’s Got Talent’ saw partners, lawyers and business professionals perform at the newly renovated Lantern Hall, in front of a packed audience of almost 300 people with over 100 people also watching the live stream. They treated the crowd to a series of exceptional music, singing, dancing and stand-up comedy acts with the firm’s choir also belting out some iconic tunes including a moving rendition of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah.
The sold-out event raised more than £23,300 through ticket sales, donations, auctions and a raffle. Funds will be distributed to a number of charities across Bristol and Edinburgh, who are working to tackle the issue of food justice for children and young people in different ways, including Feeding Bristol, the Trussell Trust and the Edinburgh Food Project.
Burges Salmon has been supporting the charitable theme of No Child Goes Hungry for almost four years. In that time, the firm has supported over 30 different groups through its fundraising and has also worked in partnership with many organisations to provide pro-bono advice, volunteering and in-kind support to help them tackle food poverty and support vulnerable children lacking access to food.
Jamie Cameron, director in the employment team and head of community engagement at Burges Salmon, said: “Responsible business sits at the heart of our culture and values and is core to our ambition to being a sustainable and inclusive firm to ensure our clients, people and communities flourish. On behalf of the whole firm, I would like to thank our brave and talented singers, dancers, musicians and comedians for treating us to such a fantastic show, to our supportive audience for being so generous in their donations, and of course huge thanks to Bristol Beacon for giving us the unforgettable opportunity to be amongst the very first to perform at its new impressive venue.”
