CSR Briefs: Barclays; BAM Construct; AFC Telford

Acorns is winner of soccer shoot-out

A ONE-OFF penalty shoot-out at Villa Park between two Birmingham business journalists has raised a total of £2,025 for Acorns Children’s Hospice.

The shootout, between Birmingham Mail business editor Jon Griffin and TheBusinessDesk.com contributor John Duckers – both members of Birmingham Press Club – ended in a 5-5 stalemate in front of 33,000 people at half-time during Villa’s clash with Manchester City.

Aston Villa hosted the charity event after Griffin and Duckers shared last year’s Midlands Business Journalist of the Year award and decided to battle it out on the pitch.

Former Villa players Lee Hendrie and Riccardo Scimeca joined in the fun along with Press Club Chairman Ed James, the Heart FM breakfast presenter, who was goalkeeper for the night.

The shootout was supported by Barclays, which sponsored last year’s Midlands Business Journalist of the Year award.

A cheque was handed over to Acorns in a pitch-side presentation at Villa Park.

BAM gains platinum recognition for its corporate responsibility

BAM Construct UK has achieved its highest ranking to date in the UK’s leading and most in-depth benchmark of corporate responsibility.

Business in the Community’s annual benchmark, the Corporate Responsibility Index, ranks BAM as a Platinum company.

Congratulating BAM, Stephen Howard, chief executive, Business in the Community, said: “BAM is graded as a Platinum company which means it integrates corporate responsibility into its business model and has clear CR responsibilities and incentive structures at board and operational levels.”

Graham Cash, BAM’s chief executive, said: “Construction and property companies have a big impact on the people around us and on the environment so we have a duty of care towards both and need to show great consideration in how we conduct ourselves.”

BAM is currently working on a number of large-scale schemes in the West Midlands including the new student accommodation block at Aston University and the Parkgate retail scheme in Shirley, Solihull.

Local charities receive ‘Bucks’ boost from FA fund

AFC Telford United has teamed up with the Football Association and Telford and Wrekin Co-Operative Council to provide donations totalling £2,000 to three local charitable causes.

The Bucks were eligible to apply for an allocation of the FA Community Shield Fund and duly nominated three local causes as part of its co-operative working with the local authority.

Donations of £700 will be made to ‘Caring for our Future’, the Mayor of Telford and Wrekin’s appeal raising funds for a garden at the new Women and Children’s Unit at the Princess Royal Hospital, Marks Pit Stop, a charity which helps homeless people in need in Wellington and Madeley and Telford Crisis Network, which provides help, support and food to residents across the Telford and Wrekin Council area.

Club chairman, Lee Carter, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be able to assist the groups through the provision of funding by the FA Community Shield Fund.

“They are three outstanding causes which will make maximum use of the funding. The donation, I’m sure, will make a big contribution to the outstanding work that they do.”

Janet Groves from Marks Pit Stop said: “This grant is a massive investment into a small organisation like our own and I am personally very grateful for the confidence both the club and the council have shown us via the grant.”

Click here to sign up to receive our new South West business news...
Close