Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
BELLS LAUNCH CHARITY VENTURE
Couple aim to help others
Airdrie business owners George and Annette Bell have set up a new charitable company to expand on their busy programme of community work.
Their special venture was officially launched with a glittering gala dinner held at the Bute Hall at Glasgow University.
Now the George and Annette Bell Foundation will get involved in supporting local and national projects including regeneration campaigns, charity and volunteering activities, and education, training and employment opportunities.
It comes as the couple and their staff at Bell Decorating Group are celebrating George’s honour of being appointed OBE in last month’s Queen’s birthday honours list for his service to apprenticeships and charity fundraising.
The new foundation aims to leave “a long-lasting legacy, by helping to create and sustain communities where people are inspired to live healthier and happier lifestyles and reach their full potential”.
It will expand on the couple’s existing community work over more than 30 years, conducted both personally and through their busy property maintenance business.
Annette said: “I’m so pleased that our launch event was such a success and can’t thank everyone enough for their generosity and support.
“To see our foundation become a catalyst for good in the communities that George and I have worked in from day one is fantastic.”
Among those attending the summer gala, sponsored by Akzo-Nobel Dulux Trade, were Airdrie MP Neil Gray and singer Darius Campbell-Danesh – who as well as performing at the event and donating to the foundation, has also agreed to act as a strategic adviser.
George founded the Bell Group in 1984, and the successful property and maintenance firm now has nearly 1800 staff at 30 branches across the UK, including its headquarters at Rochsolloch Road in Airdrie.
The former Golfhill Primary and Airdrie High pupil was awarded an OBE in last month’s honours list, and described the royal appointment as “a wonderful feeling”.
He said: “It gives tremendous encouragement and incentive, not just to me but to those around me, to keep improving – along with a huge desire to succeed in what we do in our daily lives and in the communities where we work.” Decorating group chief executive Craig Bell added: “As a business, and as a family, we could not be prouder of George and his achievements. “Starting his career as an apprentice in a small t own who was given a chance, he recognises the potential that exists in the UK outside traditional academic channels.
“George has helped to start, develop and inspire the career of thousands of people around the UK from all economic and social backgrounds.”
The businessman began his working life as a teenage painting and decorating apprentice; two years later, he was managing a team of 42 trainees in completing a challenging job at a secondary school, and after overseeing 500 staff by the age of 21, he decided to go into business for himself.
Bell Group’s 100th trade apprentice qualified in 1997; the company told the Advertiser in 2017 how it now has “more than 800 staff members who started as apprentices or trainees”, and its founder received a special recognition award at last year’s Lanarkshire business excellence awards.
George’s contribution to the painting and decorating industry includes involvement with the Scottish Decorators’ Federation, Painting and Decorating Association, Scottish Enterprise and CITB Construction Skills in promoting industry apprenticeships, as well as being a member of a Scottish Parliament advisory panel.
Scottish secretary David Mundell said of his OBE award, which will be conferred at a royal ceremony later this year: “It recognises the enormous contribution he has made to the lives of young people.
“George Bell has trained more than 1000 apprentices through his successful property maintenance company, giving those young people skills and confidence and setting them on course for prosperous and successful futures.”
George has helped to start, develop and inspire the career of thousands of people