Car dealerships invest In Birmingham School Games

SYTNER BMW and Mini Midlands dealerships are gearing up for the Birmingham School Games after announcing their partnership for 2014.

Four BMW and Mini Midlands sites are supporting the bi-annual event as part of their commitment to supporting local sporting talent and investment in the development of young people in sport.
 
Sytner Sutton Coldfield, Sytner Oldbury, Sytner Solihull and Sytner Birmingham announced the partnership at the launch of the Birmingham School Games at Edgbaston Cricket Ground’s Indoor Training Centre.
 
A cheque for £10,000 was presented to Tom McIntosh, interim director of Birmingham Sport and Physical Activity Partnership (BSPAP).
 
He said: “The Sytner BMW and Mini Winter Festival, supported by Sainsbury’s, allows young people in Birmingham to take part inclusive and inspiring competitive sport, which plays a key role in developing young people, both as participants and volunteers. This is important in terms of providing a fun experience whilst equipping them with important new skills.”
 
Chris Spires, managing director of Sytner Sutton Coldfield said: “As a local business we see ourselves as a part of the community and as such would like to contribute to the well – being of young people in our area.

“This project not only develops sports skills but builds confidence and social skills.”

PPDG scheme helps homeless to keep warm

A BIRMINGHAM business has hit on a novel way to celebrate a decade of its payroll giving scheme and to involve its employees in a calendar of community support events – by launching a nationwide coat amnesty.
 
Employment and training specialist Pertemps People Development Group (PPDG) will hit the tenth anniversary of its Give As You Earn scheme in August but wanted to further engage staff in its programme of giving back to the community.
 
Generous employees are wearing their hearts on their sleeves and have already donated dozens of warm coats which will be distributed to good causes across the country.
 
PPDG’s Phil Pemble said “Prior to Christmas we ran a campaign to support homeless people. Employees raised £1,000 by sleeping rough for St Basil’s, the Birmingham youth homeless charity, and we got involved with the socksandchocs initiative, donating 1,000 chocolate items, 1,100 pairs of new socks and 900 hot drinks.
 
“To keep the momentum going we’ve devised a number of different ideas which will be introduced on a monthly basis beginning with a coat amnesty for January. Fifty centre champions are currently driving the collection of coats, jackets and items of warm clothing no longer worn by employees, friends and families.”
  

Mop chop raises funds for Children’s Hospital

A BRAVE member of staff at Birmingham law firm The Wilkes Partnership put his hair in colleagues’ hands to raise money for Birmingham Children’s Hospital.
 
Having grown his hair for a year, Peter Green, part of the office services team at Wilkes, agreed to let his long locks go, provided his workmates donated at least £1,000 to charity.

After the company beat the target by more than £300, Peter’s colleague Tamara Chambers set to work, transforming his hairstyle into a short, neat crop.
 
Green said: “It had been a year since my last haircut so, after a challenge from a colleague at The Wilkes Partnership, I decided that I would get rid of my wild hair, but only for charity.”