Beatson Clark launches new community fund

A grass roots cricket club and a well known children’s hospice are both set to benefit from a new charitable fund that has been launched by glass packaging manufacturer Beatson Clark.

Alongside its other work supporting charities and good causes, the company’s Colleague Community Engagement Fund provides £2000 every year to support colleagues who are raising money for or supporting local good causes.

Everyone who works for the Rotherham based company has the chance to apply for one of four £500 grants each year – and this year’s winners have just been announced.

Technical buyer Amanda Taylor has won £500 to help her local cricket club to buy all-weather nets.

Whiston Parish Church Cricket Club is run by volunteers and provides the local community and surrounding area with outstanding cricket coaching and development. The club is a Disability Champion Club, providing people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) with the facilities to be coached and play.

With two senior teams, a Sunday development side, a thriving lady’s section (the Belles) and five junior teams, the club is struggling to provide the necessary training and coaching facilities.

The club has plans to install a £30,000 three lane artificial net facility which will be fully wheelchair accessible and available for use by local schools. Beatson Clark’s donation via Amanda will bring this exciting new facility a little closer.

The company has long been a supporter of Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice, so was delighted to offer to help its quality assurance and technical assistant Trevor Gane who is raising money for the charity.

Trevor will be running the Doncaster 10K in November and his employers are matching his fund raising up to £500 from the Colleague Community Engagement Fund.

Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice cares for children and young adults with life shortening and life threatening conditions. The charity currently supports around 250 families, both in the hospice and in family homes.

Next May,  a team will also be tackling the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge to raise money for Bluebell Wood, the mental health charity Mind and Rotherham Cancer Care. The community fund will be matching their efforts up to £1000.

‘We are pleased and proud to be launching our Colleague Community Engagement Fund, which will enable us to give even more back to our local community,’ said managing director Eddie Pickering.

‘We have been supporting Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice for many years, and I am delighted to say that this charity is just one of the good causes that we are supporting this year.

‘This new fund is a great way to encourage more of our colleagues to get involved with good causes and wellbeing activities in the local community.’