STARTING at The CFJ Awards in September 2024, Kick-Start Publishing is introducing an awards category entitled: Award for Commitment to Social Responsibility.
This award will be aimed at those companies which are doing exceptional, charitable things in and out of the flooring industry. As one definition of ‘social responsibility’ states: ‘Social responsibility is an ethical framework in which a person works and cooperates with other people and organisations for the benefit of the community. An organisation can demonstrate social responsibility in several ways, for instance, by donating, encouraging volunteerism, using ethical hiring procedures, and making changes that benefit the environment. Social responsibility is an individual responsibility that involves a balance between the economy and the ecosystem one lives within, and possible trade-offs between economic development, and the welfare of society and the environment. Social responsibility pertains not only to business organisations but also to everyone whose actions impact the environment.’
Unlike other categories, this award will be derived from incidents about good deeds that reach our desks here at CFJ, and will, pending agreement from the company concerned, be progressed to our independent panel of judges. Examples could be volunteering for charities; working out-of-hours to help the less fortunate; and contributing by various other means to making society a better, healthier place.
The winners will be announced at our next CFJ Awards.
Building Adhesives Limited
COLLEAGUES at Stoke-on-Trent building products manufacturer Building Adhesives have completed a mammoth 25,000-mile charity challenge raising money for the Dougie Mac in memory of a former team member who sadly passed away from cancer.
Staff at Building Adhesives took part in one last mile around Longton Park on Tuesday 21 June to complete their ‘Journey Around the Worrall’ in honour of Avril Worrall, a key member of the R&D and quality control team for more than 21 years.
They were joined on the walk by Avril’s husband Gary and daughter Tasha, as well as Mike Pegg from the Douglas Macmillan Hospice – the Worrall family’s nominated charity who did so much to support Avril during her fight.
Colleagues, friends and family have been walking, running, swimming, cycling or even rowing to complete 25,000 miles; equivalent to travelling around the world across the equator!
Challenges completed have included numerous 10ks, the Potters’ Arf, cycling the Manifold Trail, and walking the Roaches as well as lots of walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, paddleboarding, kayaking and even a bit of pedalo peddling!
Altogether the team have raised nearly £1,800 for the Dougie Mac.
Joe Myatt-Winterton, QC controller at Building Adhesives who set up the charity challenge said: ‘It was great to be joined by so many colleagues, friends and family of Avril to walk the final mile together at Longton Park.
‘It’s been an epic challenge but one that’s also brought us closer together as a team as well as providing happiness and support to each other – something Avril always did for those around her.
‘Thank you to everyone who has supported the challenge and donated to the Dougie Mac, who so much good work supporting adults and children with life-limiting illnesses.’
Deborah Vickers, head of business and events fundraising at Dougie Mac said: ‘We’re so grateful for the team’s dedication and commitment to fundraising for our hospice in Avril’s memory. This year, it will cost more than £20m to run our services, 75% of which is funded by the kindness of our local supporters, so the money raised through this challenge will make a massive difference in helping us be there for those facing a life-limiting illness. Thank you for your incredible support.’
www.bal-adhesives.com
Designer Contracts
DESIGNER Contract’s charity challengers, Team Massive, reached new peaks when five employees took part in the Peak District Ultra Challenge in July 2023, raising more than £3,000 for charity.
The tough two-day test saw some of the team taking part on day one, walking 50km. They then passed the baton onto the others to complete the 50km day two hike.
The previous year’s Team Massive successfully conquered the Yorkshire Three Peaks to raise £5,490 for Ashgate Hospice in Chesterfield, the Derbyshire town where Designer Contracts is headquartered.
Said commercial director Louise Walters: ‘Although we said ‘never again’ after that challenge, the team couldn’t resist the opportunity to tackle the figure-of-eight route, starting in Bakewell and following the northern loop through the Peak District National Park, an area which is world famous for its outstanding natural beauty.
‘The company is a long-time supporter of Ashgate Hospice. In 2022 we donated more than £100,000 to the charity after running an online Christmas prize draw. In 2019 we gave £100,000 to help fund the hospice’s ‘Three Bedded Bay Appeal’ for renovations to its patient bays. Although we set our target at a modest £500 for 2023, we actually raised £3,014 for the charity.’
Taking part in last year’s challenge were Kim Cartwright, Sarah Hayes, Simon Lovett, Lee Hassett and Nick Bury – all Designer Contracts employees. They joined an estimated 2,000 adventurers taking part in the 2023 Ultra Challenge.
F Ball and Co
AMID the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, an F Ball and Co employee is on a mission to help those struggling most.
Calvin Hambleton, who is a warehouse operative at F Ball, is raising funds for the Lou Macari Foundation, which aims to end homelessness in Stoke-on-Trent and provides support, accommodation and meals to about 50 people at the Macari Centre, in Hanley, to help restore stability to their lives.
Scottish former footballer and manager Lou Macari, who played for Manchester United and Stoke City and lives in Stoke-on-Trent, worked with Stoke-on-Trent council to set up The Macari Centre, which opened in 2016.
To raise funds, Calvin has undertaken a sponsored walk from his hometown of Leek to Tittesworth Reservoir, with his youngest son and brother-in-law also taking part.
On learning of the initiative, F Ball donated £500 towards the cause.
Commenting on the effort, F Ball managing director Mark Hughes said: ‘The local community is a better place for people like Calvin giving their time to such good causes, so we’re absolutely delighted to support this.’
Explaining his motivation, Calvin said: ‘I was holidaying in Brighton when I began buying meals for a homeless lad who was living outside the hotel where we were staying. Speaking to him, I was struck that anyone could get into a situation like that, so I resolved to do something to help people facing homelessness.’
01538 361633
www.f-ball.co.uk
www.macari-foundation.co.uk
Kidderminster Carpet Manufacturers
THE Kidderminster Carpet Manufacturers’ National Charity Golf Tournament 2023 recently celebrated its 65th event. Once again, the competition was held across two days at the usual venue of Kidderminster golf course. As in previous years, the first day consisted of a four-ball team event, while day two was a pairs competition.
Said Mike Dobson: ‘The event was really well attended, with numbers well up on recent years. Owing to the support of many, including the main sponsor Manx Tomkinson, and the generosity of all the players across the two days, we were able to raise in excess of £19,000, which we believe to be a record for the tournament.’
The money raised will be split between Macmillan and several charities local to Kidderminster, making a ‘huge impact’ on the area’s ability to serve the local community. In addition, for the first time in many years, the committee donated a sum of money to the Furniture Makers’ Company in recognition of the work it does to support people who have fallen on hard times across the furnishing industry.
Shire Flooring
SHIRE Flooring’s first five-a-side charity football tournament, which took place at Macclesfield Football Club over the summer 2023, saw some ‘outstanding football and plenty of laughs along the way’, according to Jenny McRobie, business development manager.
After a tense finale against Ian Williams it was Key Property Solutions which walked away as champions’ league cup winners for which they received a £500 donation to donate to their chosen charity – Bright Red – taking the total raised so far to £2,550.
Previously known as Marrow and Stem Cell Transplant 2000, Bright Red has supported haematology treatment and research in the region since 1988. Owing to its combined investment of more than £6,000,000 into haematology; diagnosis, treatment and research in the region has gone from strength to strength.
The region is now the second largest bone marrow transplant centre in the UK, treating an increasing number of patients from outside the area. These patients choose to come to northern England for many reasons, including the high standard of care and number of specialists in the region.
Says the charity: ‘Our vision is to make the region the safest place in the UK, if not the world, to be treated for blood cancer. We aim to improve the lives and treatment of people with blood cancer across the north of England. Through care, research and education we are striving to beat illnesses such as leukaemia, lymphoma, myeloma myelodysplasia and myeloproliferative diseases.’
Meanwhile, back on the football field, one of Shire Flooring’s teams triumphed as Europa league cup winners after a competitive final ending in a penalty shootout with Flint Bishop.
‘Robert Stephenson’s great finishing throughout the tournament secured him our top goal-scorer award,’ said Jenny. ‘A consistent performance in all the games, along with some fantastic saves to help his team win the cup, led to our player of the tournament award being given to David Johansen.’
The football theme continued when guest speaker Marlon Harewood gave ‘a wonderful insight into his former footballing career’ with a Q&A session afterwards.
Jenny concluded: ‘We’d like to say a massive thank you to three of our suppliers – Bostik, IVC Group and TradeChoice Carpet & Flooring – which supported this event. Thanks to all the teams which entered and the people who came along to support them. We all had a brilliant day and the standard has been set for next year, which we hope will be bigger and better!’
www.shireflooring.co.uk
UltraFloor
ON 4 October 2023, UltraFloor and Volante joined forces to host a very special trade morning, all in aid of raising awareness and money for brainstrust.
Brainstrust provide personalised support and resources that help people with a brain tumour live the life they want after diagnosis.
One such service user is Natalie, area sales manager at Volante. In March 2023, Natalie was unexpectedly diagnosed with a brain tumour. To help prepare for the long road to recovery, Natalie turned to brainstrust for support.
Natalie is one of the lucky ones but there are so many that aren’t and with that in mind, Volante and UltraFloor wanted to do everything they could to help Natalie raise money and awareness for this incredible charity.
And so, in October 2023, UltraFloor and Volante united to host an exclusive trade morning. In addition to a number of entertaining fundraising activities, including throwing wet sponges at Volante’s sales director Nick Treasure, UltraFloor and Volante donated £1 for every UltraFloor product sold that day.
Their fundraising efforts resulted in a fantastic £4,583.59 being raised for brainstrust. On this achievement, Will Jones, ceo at brainstrust, commented: ‘Congratulations on this incredible achievement – the amount you have raised is a year’s worth of brain boxes, or two months of support cover for some of our patients and caregiver. We’re not a big charity (but not tiny either), but I can promise you this will go a long way.’
www.brainstrust.org.uk
www.instarmac.co.uk
