business matters
december/january 2018 business edge
Roofers raise thousands for Mencap Eastbourne-based Clarke Roofing held their biannual charity golf day and raised £7,500 for Eastbourne Mencap. Eighteen teams, representing local businesses, clients and suppliers, took part in the golf day which was held at the Royal Eastbourne Golf Club in Paradise Drive. The 18-hole stableford competition was won by local accountants LMDB. Local Eastbourne MP Stephen Lloyd attended in the evening together with Eastbourne Mencap Vice-Chairman David Long and supporter Rebecca Whippy. Mr Lloyd ran a very successful auction which alone raised nearly £3000! Established in 1949, Eastbourne & District Mencap has been supporting local people with learning disabilities and their families for over 60 years and provides a range of services from 24-hour residential care to day opportunities and family services. They are a local registered charity supported by the kind and generous people of Eastbourne. Business Development Manager Lisa Pickard, who organised the event with Director David Beer, said: “We are thrilled with the amount we raised. The weather was sunny but very
David Beer and Lisa Pickard from Clarke Roofing with Natalie Harding (CEO) Andy Billings (Day service manager) Eastbourne Mencap & Fiona Ray & Rosie Plowman (Service Users). windy making the day more challenging for the players but the golf club bent over backwards to ensure the day ran smoothly. We would also like to say a huge thank you to everyone who donated raffle and auction prizes and sponsored the event but there are far too many to mention here!” Eastbourne Mencap’s CEO Natalie Harding said: “We at Eastbourne and District
Mencap would like to thank all the staff at Clarke Roofing for arranging the golf day and all the people that attended to support this event. We would also like to say a big thank you to Mr Stephen Lloyd for running the auction. The money raised is much appreciated and will go towards enhancing the lives of our service users. “
Helping change lives in a competitive market The Disabilities Trust was founded nearly 40 years ago and, although based in Sussex, it is a nationwide provider of services to people with acquired brain injury, physical disabilities and well as adults and children with autism.
people’s ability to make choices and communicate with others. We cannot achieve these outcomes without trained and dedicated staff. Again, we face fierce competition in the job market, so we have recently developed a new employer brand, using our own team, in their own words, to demonstrate the range of jobs available and the Trust’s attitude to nurturing the people who work here.
As we are statutorily funded, we operate within a fiercely competitive market; with the NHS and local councils wanting ‘more for less’ due to their budget constraints. It is vital that we position ourselves as being leaders in our field providing value for money by demonstrating outcomes. A recent example of this is our ConnectAbility appeal which raised money to buy assistive communications technology for disabled people to try out with expert staff on hand and we have recently opened this first ‘Hub’ at Shinewater Court in Eastbourne. In keeping with the appeal, the launch and subsequent marketing has all been digital with online video promoted on social media as a key tool, demonstrating
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Charities are businesses and need to be part of the local business community. We use local designers, printers, sign makers and have recently commissioned a Sussexbased company to carry out a fundraising scoping exercise to inform future strategy.
the importance of electronic communication. The Hub has a wide range of hardware and software which includes a MyGaze Power which controls a computer by using your eyes, and Grid 3 on an iPad which builds sentences and creates a voice. It is open to the public, by appointment, who can try the kit and get advice at no cost. The Hub has already transformed lives; promoting independence, maximising
www.sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk
We are also about to embark on a full brand review to evaluate our current position in the market compared to our competitors, and review the effectiveness of our communications. In turn, local companies support us by providing staff teams to volunteer at our centres, often gardening or helping with a makeover; a mutually beneficial relationship.
tel: 01444 259 259