As the season of giving has arrived we are taking the time to reflect on some of what we have been able to give back to the community over the year. Here at Ash we feel its vital to support and give back to the communities we work in, providing more than new or refreshed work/education/leisure/worship facilities but finding ways to enrich the lives of those around us and add social value, our main way of engaging with this is through charity work.
Disability Challengers, a repeat client of ours, are a charity based in Guildford. Looking after and providing entertainment in a safe environment for disabled children to try and make their time more enjoyable, whilst providing short breaks for parents and careers. Claire from our Guildford office completed Tour De Challengers back in July, in which participants collectively cycled 260 miles a day for 10 days. Claire completed 3.5 miles in a 15-minute time slot, an amazing effort and all for a good cause. With everyone feeling the World Cup fever in July, we decided to run a sweepstake across both our offices and the sites in support of Disability Challengers. The sweepstake was split 50/50 between the charity and the winner.
Since mid-October, the Guildford office has been taking part in Disability Challengers’Business Club Accumulator challenge. With an initial £50 note given by the charity, the team had to come up with an enterprising way to make the biggest return possible. The team decided to use the money to set up a Tuck-shop in the office and were able to raise over £175 for Challengers!
Over the summer our Contracts Director and one of the Site Managers took part in the Ride London Challenge. This involved following a 100-mile route on closed roads through London into Surrey’s countryside. The guys completed the ride to raise sponsorship for Young Epilepsy, a Charity that has been supportive of a family close to a member of the team. Fundraising around the office the guys managed to raise a total of £1150. Maintaining the sporting theme, in aid of Sports Relief 2018 staff in both our offices undertook challenges. All members of staff in the Guilford office completed over 600,000 steps in 10 days whilst members of our Kent office ran a mile a day for 10 days.
Some of the Directors attended a gala charity ball back in November in support of ex-soldier Jordan Wylie’s Running Dangerously campaign. The campaign will see Jordan complete a 10K, Half Marathon and Full Marathon in Somalia, Iraq and Afghanistan. Money raised will be donated to charities specialised in educating children in conflict zones.
When ordering products online via Amazon.com we make a conscious effort to select products that are eligible for Amazon Smile. Amazon Smile is a free service where Amazon donates 0.5% of the value of the purchase to an elected charity. This year Ash has been supporting our annual corporate charity Children’s Hospice South West through these donations.
Ash is also keen to support activities and events in the local community that we feel add social value. We are one of the main sponsors of the cricket club, local to our Guildford office. The cricket club aims to promote armature cricket in the local community and to encourage young cricketers. Additionally, we have sponsored various community events such as the Mayors Ball and Sidcup Christmas Carol Service ran by Christ Church Sidcup where we are currently completing works.
Finally, fully embracing the festive spirit, Ash took part in an office and site-wide Christmas Jumper Day last Friday. Supporting Save the Children Ash requested a £2 donation on the day, though the total is yet to be tallied up, the money raised will go straight towards supporting children in the UK and around the world, giving them the chance to build a better future.
