Community spirit is marked in awards
COMMUNITY-spirited workers and bosses who go more than the extra mile to help charities and good causes in the county have been rewarded for their efforts.
Businesses and their employees who volunteer with Leicestershire Cares were recognised in the organisation’s annual awards.
Winner of the 2016 volunteer of the year award was Carla Loughrey from Hinckley and Rugby Building Society for her enthusiasm and commitment to helping young people get ahead with maths while placement provider of the year was won by Bowmer and Kirkland, the familyowned construction group which gave seven exoffenders training and work experience at The Crescent development in Hinckley. All seven went into paid employment.
Monica Stark, director of Leicestershire Cares, said: “Carla has been an outstanding Number Partner for three years and is adored by the children she supports. All the activities undertaken by Hinckley and Rugby are due to Carla’s drive and passion as she cares deeply about the impact that projects have on her local community.”
Carla, assistant marketing and PR manager for the building society, said: “I’m chuffed to bits. Working with Leicestershire Cares is probably my favourite part of my job. To be thanked for it is wonderful. It’s a privilege to be involved.”
Phillipp Ellis, director at Bowmer and Kirkland, said: “As a family company with family values we try to assist and integrate into the communities in which we work. It is great to know that our efforts are appreciated and this award is evidence of the hard work and efforts our team made to support people back into work.”
Leicestershire Cares teams firms and their workers with community groups, charities and other organisations or individuals in need to help with transformation projects and personal development.
Challenges may involve helping ex-offenders into work, boosting reading and maths skills for school pupils, sprucing up buildings and gardens and assisting care leavers with their first steps towards independence.
Others recognised in the awards were Croft based truck rental and fleet management firm Alltruck PLC, Cambridge and Counties Bank which has its HQ in Leicester, Melton Mowbray’s Sylvester Cheung Architects and Leonard Cheshire Disability.
The President’s Award for Outstanding Contribution to Leicestershire Cares was presented to Katharine Lightbown who recently left the charity after 12 years.