Oxford-based construction company Beard has launched a charitable foundation to support staff community initiatives and construction education projects. The foundation has been set up with a £250,000 donation from the Beard family and will be held and managed by Oxfordshire Community Foundation.
The new foundation will support charity and community work by Beard staff, wherever possible matching the funds raised by individuals or teams, up to a maximum of £5,000. The Beard Charitable Foundation Board hopes to award £20,000 in grants each year.
The foundation also aims to make occasional larger strategic donations, and is inviting applications from charities within the company’s trading area involved in construction industry education.
“Supporting people and organisations in the areas where we work, and encouraging our staff to give back to the local community, is an essential part of our commitment to being a ‘good neighbour’ and helping create flourishing, successful communities,” says company chairman Alan Beard. “I am therefore delighted to be launching the new Beard Charitable Foundation, which will benefit communities across the South of England.
“Equally, we recognise the vital importance of construction education in building the skilled workforce of the future and encouraging more young people into the industry. The new foundation will also build on the work we are already doing engaging with young people in schools and colleges to promote construction as a career.”
Jayne Woodley, Chief Executive of Oxfordshire Community Foundation, comments: “We are delighted to be partnering with a business as significant as Beard, which is so active in Oxfordshire and beyond. We very much look forward to supporting them in choosing projects deserving of funding, using our local expertise and our well established connections with the voluntary sector. As with our other corporate funds, we will work with our partner community foundations in other counties to help the Beard Foundation give to charities across the South of England.”
The foundation expects to award its first grants in Autumn 2016. To find out more, please visit Beard’s website.