The regional group recognised how difficult the last year had been for a range of charities in their local communities and wanted to provide some extra support.
National Buying Group partners from the South West have donated £12,000 to six charities across the region.
The regional group recognised how difficult the last year had been for a range of charities in their local communities and wanted to provide some extra support. Led by NBG’s South West Regional Chair and Operations & Commercial Director at Kellaway Building Services, Sean Morgan, the South West team shared the funds equally between six charities: Hampshire & Isle of Wight Air Ambulance, Children’s Hospice South West, The Rainy Day Trust, Devon Air Ambulance, Dartmoor Search & Rescue, and Velindre Cancer Centre of Cardiff.
Representatives from South West based partners nominated the chosen charities at the latest NBG South West regional meeting, which was held at Celtic Manor in Newport, Wales.
The six deserving causes were chosen following a review of existing charity relationships in the region and the wide range of causes requiring support, including the Air Ambulance, Search & Rescue, and mental health services.
The Rainy Day Trust supports merchant employees, trade workforce and their families in times of need. The charity has faced funding difficulties over the past year due to the increased demand for support throughout the pandemic.
Earlier in the year, Kellaway Building Supplies also sponsored The Rainy Day Trust’s CEO Bryan Clover, who walked 84 miles in just 48 hours for the cause. In addition, NBG raised £20,000 at its November Partner Event and Supplier Awards Evening.
The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance was nominated by Grev Coomer of Coomers Timber & Building Supplies. The cause has been supported by the Coomers team since one of their staff members required the service last year after falling off a ladder and suffering a stroke. Miraculously, he returned to work just 99 days later.
Neil Robinson of Inter-line Building Supplies nominated Children’s Hospice South West, a charity which supports children in need of care across the region, as well as their families.
Devon Air Ambulance was nominated by Keith Olver of Plymouth-based Palladium Building Supplies. The service covers the entire region, supporting road ambulances that can’t reach the scene of an accident due to terrain, weather, location, or other external challenges.
Palladium Building Supplies also nominated Dartmoor Search & Rescue, a charity which covers Dartmoor National Park and has been called out to 19 incidents in this year alone. The charity funds vehicles, kits, and training to ensure that the local community are looked after.
Nick Bulpin of Hughes Forrest wanted to support Velindre Cancer Centre of Cardiff. With one of Hughes’ managers currently battling bowel cancer, the cause hits close to home for the team, which wants to do anything possible to support the work carried out by the centre and its staff.
Morgan said: “We are so proud to have been able to donate a total of £12,000 to six very worthy causes. After such a difficult year and a half during the pandemic, it has been particularly important to the South West partners to support charities that do such crucial work for the local community.”
