B P Collins has donated £18,000 in 2022 – its largest ever grant in a single year – to local causes in Buckinghamshire through its Heart of Bucks’ stewardship fund. All staff at B P Collins were asked to choose ten charities and organisations that best reflect the firm’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) values, which are – building stronger communities, providing better futures and creating safer lives. The organisations are:
- Youth Concern, which supports around 500 vulnerable, young people every year across Buckinghamshire, receives £3,500.
- Bucks Disability Services, which is a working community of disabled people who support each other by working on projects which deliver change for disabled people, also receives £3,500.
- Horatio’s Garden, which is a charity that improves the lives of everyone affected by a spinal injury through creating and caring for beautiful gardens; and Carers Bucks, which supports the health and wellbeing of unpaid carers of all ages, each receive £2,500.
- Wycombe Refugee Partnership, which assists refugees in urgent need by providing an initial place of residence and wraparound support, and Lindengate, which helps people struggling with their mental health, memory loss and dementia, both receive £1,500.
- Chiltern Open Air Museum, which is at the forefront of preserving the heritage of the Chilterns and the Alexander Jansons Myocarditis UK charity each receive £1,000.
- Mediation Bucks, which helps those involved in disputes and conflict; and the Buckingham Canal Society which is restoring a 220-year-old canal from Buckingham to the Gran Union at Cosgrove, both receive £500.
Lucy Wood Heart of Bucks Trustee and B P Collins’ wills, trust and probate partner says:
“It is truly humbling to see such a wide range of very worthy causes in Buckinghamshire, which are improving people’s lives for the better. Each and every organisation resonated with everyone at B P Collins and it was great to see all of our teams come together to help decide how the funds should be distributed. We are delighted to be helping them in a meaningful way.”
Youth Concern comments on its donation: “We are incredibly grateful to B P Collins’ staff. This donation will enable our youth workers, project workers and counsellors to support vulnerable 13-25 year olds across Aylesbury Vale. It will help those who face barriers to life to live their BEST lives: helping them access education and work, address mental health issues, grow in self-confidence, learn to live independently, and improve their personal and professional relationships. On behalf of ‘our’ young people – thank you so much!”
Horatio’s Garden Stoke Mandeville says: “We are so thrilled to have been chosen by B P Collins to be a recipient of an award this year. The grant will help patients, rehabilitating from spinal injury in the National Spinal Injuries Centre, to improve their recovery through horticultural therapy and time spent in the garden. Thanks to its support, patients will be able to enjoy the restorative power of plants during their long stay in hospital.”
Buckingham Canal Society says: “We are very grateful for the award from B P Collins. Grants such as these are critical to helping with the core costs such as safety equipment to enable our volunteers to continue maintenance of our work achieved so far and expand our volunteer participation opportunities.”
Alexander Jansons Myocarditis UK adds: “We are so immensely honoured to have been awarded a grant by B P Collins and the Heart of Bucks Community Foundation. Our charity, whilst serving a national platform, has strong ties to Buckinghamshire. We aim to raise awareness for myocarditis and support anyone, regardless of where they are and to the best of our ability, in their myocarditis journey. There is still so much to learn and so many questions to answer but we are very grateful to everyone for this grant and will use it to provide as much information as we can to as many people as we can.”
Henry Allmand, Chief Executive of Heart of Bucks says: “Businesses like B P Collins can play a vital role in supporting their local community, and we are extremely grateful for their continued support in providing critical funding throughout the county. It is great to see the enthusiasm of the whole staff team getting involved in the decision-making process and it really showcases the business’s commitment to supporting their local community.”
Holly Hoskisson, Carers Bucks adds: “Carers Bucks is exceptionally grateful and proud to have received this grant from B P Collins and the Heart of Bucks Community Foundation. This grant will enable us to provide support to young carers in Schools; raising awareness of their needs, supporting young people in School to navigate the challenges they may face on their caring journey and ensure they have the same opportunities as their peers. Vital work, particularly due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children and young people. A huge thank you to B P Collins staff.”
Now in its seventh year, the B P Collins’ stewardship fund has donated almost £80,000 to Buckinghamshire charities.
