Giving back: Business at work to help the community

Community stalwart is pub company’s fundraiser of the year

Pole Fair organisers call for business support

Pub landlord Chris O’Reilly is a man with community at his heart. The landlord of The Ranelagh Arms has raised more than £160,000 over his 18 years behind the bar at the pub in Wellingborough through regular events such as golf days, sponsored walks, meat raffles, quiz nights and lotteries - even a swear jar.

This year alone Chris and his customers and staff have raised just over £6,250 for Macmillan Cancer Support, previous amounts having been split among charities close to regulars' hearts.

And his efforts have been recognised at the Wells & Co brewery annual awards, when he was named Fundraiser of the Year.

Wells & Co retail director Shirley Couchman said: “We are immensely proud of Chris and his hard work and dedication to charitable fundraising throughout the years. He has gone above and beyond with his efforts and should be incredibly proud of his achievements. Pubs are a central hub of our communities and Chris’ efforts just go to show how valuable an asset pubs are in helping others.” Chris O'Reilly landlord of the Ranelagh Arms at the Wells & Co Pub Partner Awards

Corby Pole Fair, one of the town’s major community celebrations, is calling on support from businesses. The Pole Fair, held every 20 years, will take place on June 3 next year across the Old Village area of Corby. Now Made with Many, the organisation coordinating the 2022 Pole Fair, is looking for business sponsorship to ensure this event can meet expectations - at the 2002 fair there were crowds of 30,000. Traditions include a dawn parade with a reading of the town’s charter, floral and every person entering the village paying a small toll or be carried over the stang to face the stocks. Helen Willmott, of Made with Many said: “We are currently busy applying for a range of grants to support the fair but there are many traditional aspects of the fair that these funds will not support. So, we are looking for local businesses to give back to the local community and support these activities, through financial contributions, in-kind support, staff volunteering or all three.” There are a wide range of sponsorship opportunities from supporting the jousting to a community breakfast, greasy pole or a Viking encampment. There is also an exciting opportunity for a single headline sponsor, who will receive a bespoke package of publicity and acknowledgement. For further information, or to have a discussion about getting involved contact Helen Willmott on helen@madewithmany.org Wanted: Volunteers to boost hospice’s on call on 07703 822656. Christmas tree recycling scheme Winter appeal aims to help elderly and vulnerable

Acommunity Christmas tree recycling project to raise funds for Cransley Hospice is looking for volunteers.

The initiative on January 8-9, 2022 will see teams heading out to collect pre-registered Christmas Trees from around North Northamptonshire for recycling.

A hospice spokesperson said: “By helping us with this project you will be helping to support and develop the essential end of life care provided at Cransley Hospice.

“We hope to raise a phenomenal £20,000 but we need lots of help. The more the merrier so we hope you will bring family, friends, neighbours and colleagues too.”

As well as supporting Cransley Hospice Trust, ten per cent of donations from the registered trees will support other local charities. To ensure nothing goes to waste, the chippings will be given to Fermyn Woods and Sywell Country Parks for their eco-friendly mulch, and some of the trees will go to the Boughton House Estate for their eco heating systems.

What’s involved? As part of the Cransley Crew you will be working in teams of two or three.

One person will need to be able to and happy to drive a van or tow a trailer, Teams can use their own trailer or there is a limited availability of discounted vans available with local rental companies. You will need to be fit and able to take part in lifting of trees and getting in and out of vans. If you are in a group of three, you can have one person as a navigator who does not need to be involved in the lifting of trees (that is up to you). Collections will run from between 8am and 2pm. There will be a safety briefing prior to the event and all safety and PPE equipment will be provided.

To sign up, or if you have any questions, contact the hospice’s fundraising team on 01536 452 423 or email fundraising@cransleyhospice.org.uk.

Volunteers will need to be fit and able to take part in the lifting of trees Northamptonshire Community Foundation has launched their annual winter appeal to support older and vulnerable people.

The Foundation is the leading independent grant-making charity in the county and its annual Winter Well-being appeal has raised £235,000 since 2010 to protect some of the most vulnerable members of our communities.

Winter can be a lonely and worrying time. With many older and vulnerable people living alone in addition to the ongoing public health crisis, many people are still cautious about leaving their homes. The uncertainty of the coming winter months will lead to increased social isolation again this year.

This year, the appeal needs the help of the local community more than ever. The fuel crisis is set to take hold of the nation and one in ten households in Northamptonshire currently live in fuel poverty, meaning that they spend more than ten per cent of their income on fuel.

Victoria Miles, chief executive of Northamptonshire Community Foundation, said: “Fuel poverty has always been an issue and the Foundation has stepped up and raised annual funds in the past for the most vulnerable in our communities who need help and support during the cold winter months.

“This year will see fuel prices rocket and we will unfortunately see more people having to choose whether to heat their homes or cook a hot meal. We are pleading with those who can to give generously to our Winter Well-being appeal so we can make sure the funds reach people in need this winter.”

Money raised will be awarded in the form of grants to local community groups and small charities whose activities protect and help older and vulnerable people in supported environments.

The campaign has had a great start, with the Foundation’s deputy chief executive and grants director Rachel McGrath taking on the Thames Path Challenge to raise funds for the appeal. Over the course of two days, Rachel walked 100 kilometres along the River Thames and raised over £1,600 to kick off this year’s appeal. Waitrose Rushden have also generously donated £333 from their Community Matters green coin scheme.

To learn more and donate to the appeal, visit

www.ncf.uk.com/give/winter-wellbeing

Launch of crowdfunding appeal after new centre is hit by vandals

An online appeal is under way to help a community interest company deliver essential help to young people and adults with neurodiverse conditions.

Neurodiversity expert Jannine Perryman is appealing for help to raise £16,000 to refurbish a building in Silver Street, Wellingborough. It was targeted by vandals, causing the delay to the opening of a base for ADHD WISE UK to deliver training, coaching, counselling and occupational therapy for learners with additional needs.

The organisation has been providing support and services across the UK since 2016. “We have long since had a dream to open a neurodiversity hub where those with conditions such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, tics and Tourette’s can be provided with support from people who know what it is like to live with these challenges,” says Jannine.

Now those plans have been put back after vandals smashed the glass door of the building earmarked for use by Jannine and her team, giving them no option but to have to pay for repairs.

“We were forced to pay for repairs and have been given no option but to install CCTV,” says Jannine. “When added to our original costs of refurbishing the building so that it is fit for use, it all mounts up and we need help to be able to deliver our services from a central base.

“Having a base will help us to deliver community projects and life skills for people with neurodiverse conditions, for example money workshops. There is so much we want to be able to do for our neurodiverse community.”

ADHD WISE UK receives no central funding and nationally there are only four local authorities that fund its services to support their constituents. ADHD WISE UK want to refurbish 8 Silver Street, Wellingborough (left)

“Unfortunately, Northamptonshire is not currently one of them but we do hope to change that,” says Jannine. “Options are available to help everyone who needs our support but first we need yours.”

She believes that, without access to specialist help, more children are at risk of being excluded from school.

“A lack of Special Educational Needs and Disability training for new and experienced teachers, a limited professional experience of attendance difficulties and an ever changing, narrowing curriculum coupled with constraints on time and resources can mean that children do not receive the early interventions they need.

“When it comes to poor attendance schools and local authorities need to be looking beyond the absence for the reason behind it asking ‘Why are they refusing to attend school?’ Or ‘Why are they unable to attend?’

“Schools have clear, high expectations for attendance so persistent absence is a clear cause for concern not only for the school and Ofsted but also for the child’s educational outcomes.”

Crowdfunding page here: https://bit.ly/3HP2rzo

Food firm backs new community clubhouse with donation to kitchen

Food manufacturer Central Foods has been at work in the kitchen as the firm celebrates its 25th anniversary.

The company has helped to fit out the kitchen in a new community clubhouse being built by Collingtree Parish Council at its sports ground in Watering Lane. Central Foods, whose headquarters are near the sports ground, donated £2,500 to the new facility, which has paid for equipment, cutlery and crockery, and supplied the food for 150 guests who attended the clubhouse’s official opening.

“Our local community has always been very supportive of us and many of our staff live locally so we are delighted to be able to celebrate our 25th anniversary with a donation to the new Collingtree sports clubhouse,” says managing director Gordon Lauder.

“We are committed to encouraging the enjoyment of physical sports and activities and we hope that our 25th anniversary donation provides the finishing touches to what is a great new facility for the village and those who use the sports ground.”

Central Foods Collingtree Parish Council has thanked Central donated £2,500 to Foods, its funding partners Northamptonshire the new Collingtree Community Foundation and Sport England as well community clubhouse as the support from local sporting groups. “It is our hope that this impressive facility will serve as a vital hub for local sport, both for Collingtree village and the wider community for many years to come,” says a spokesman. The recreation ground is used by local sports groups for tennis, football, cricket and rugby and the new clubhouse has been funded by a combination of grant and parish council funds. It has two changing rooms, showers and a kitchen and bar. It replaces two containers that were previously used as makeshift changing rooms and for storing sports equipment.

The team from Selected Fitness who won first place at Cynthia Spencer Hospice's charity Golf Day

Corporate golf day goes with a swing

Well played to the Selected Fitness team as they celebrate their victory at the annual corporate golf day in aid of Cynthia Spencer Hospice.

The quartet saw off the challenge of 24 other teams at Northampton Golf Club. The day raised more than £14,000 for the hospice in Northampton.

Businesses across Northamptonshire rallied to the cause, providing sponsorship for the event, to boost the coffers further.

The day and prizes were sponsored by headline sponsor ACS Recruitment, Franklins Solicitors LLP, Onefoursix, Neves Solicitors, United Pallet Network, Digital Origin, Artemis, DFA Law, Smurfit Kappa, Neptune Rum and ACS Office Solutions.

In the individual competition, Jon Thorpe of ACS Solutions won both the Longest Drive and Putting Competition. Lee Tribe from IT support specialist Digital Origin and Steve Bowers of Northampton Golf Club were the Nearest the Pin winners while Harvey Entwistle from Selected Fitness claimed the prize for Nearest the Pin (in 2).

ACS Recruitment managing director Chris Wright said: “Our first time as headline sponsor and it certainly will not be the last. Well done to all the winners.”

The golf day was part of Cynthia Spencer Hospice’s 45th anniversary celebrations. Corporate partnerships fundraiser Nina Gandy said: “It was great to see lots of new businesses join in the competition too and enjoy networking with other local firms while supporting our wonderful hospice. As many businesses are still adjusting to the post-lockdown environment, their support is really appreciated, and the funds raised will make a huge difference to our patients and their families both now and in the future.”

Entries are already coming in for the 2022 Cynthia Spencer Hospice Golf Day, to be held at Northampton Golf Club on October 6. “Sign us up for next year to defend the title,” said Selected Fitness owner Josh Brown.