Christian values see Valley award winning firm keep giving back
ACOMPANY firmly underpinned by Christian values has demonstrated how to strike a perfect balance between making a profit and giving something back to the local area.
Anglo Recycling, which will celebrate 80 years of business in 2019, is supporting its Whitworth roots, helping to save a youth club, and bringing different faith communities together.
The company’s message of corporate social responsibility saw it awarded the inaugural Rossendale Free Press Award at last month’s Rossendale Business Awards, held at The Riverside.
When Whitworth Youth Club was forced to close in April because of funding cuts, the company stepped in and formed a charity – Friends of Whitworth Youth – and employed and trained a youth worker Sarah Corke.
The club relocated into 41st Whitworth Scout Hall and now meets every Monday for up to 40 high school age children. Anglo Recycling is paying for an assistant to be trained to help Sarah run the club.
The company, which converts carpet offcuts normally destined for landfill and reuses the waste material to create underlay and felt, employs 50 people – most of whom live in the area.
Chairman Simon Macaulay said: “We have a company charter which says we are committed to investing in the community. As a business we have to make a profit but, if we are serious about our role in the heart of the commu- nity, we can also give back.”
Managing director Andy Hall said the company is run on moral Christian values.
He added: “We realised that there were several different denominations in Whitworth and so we introduced a monthly meeting in the mill for the whole faith community when local residents join us – it is called ‘Pie with the Pastors’.
“We have a local Methodist Minister come into the mill and she is availa- ble for any member of staff who needs a chat, counselling or pastoral care.”
The company also set up Whitworth Flood Forum after the floods of Boxing Day 2015 and has formed a strong link with Whitworth Community High School.
The nominee’s citation said: “They are putting back time and money with a community focus. Anglo not only feels like a successful business in its own right, but is a business that cares for the community it operated within.”