News & media > Press Releases
2010 Press releases
Sunday 25 April 2010
Firm donates funds to boost skills of Exeter volunteers
A charity working with young people in Devon has won vital funding from infrastructure firm May Gurney to provide the skills needed to get a job through volunteering.
May Gurney has donated £5,000 from its charitable foundation to Exeter-based The Ivy Project, which provides encouragement, motivation and support for people aged 12 to 25 in the city.
The Ivy Project, established in 1999, helps youngsters in their development and celebrates the contributions they make in their communities through volunteering activities.
The charity works with young people from a diverse range of backgrounds, particularly those at risk from social exclusion. The programme will identify disadvantaged young people who would benefit from developing skills to carry out a job search, complete an application form and perform well at interview.
Dan Kjellgren, general manager at The Ivy Project, said its work wouldn’t be possible without support from the May Gurney Foundation.
“This donation is invaluable to us and will enable staff to aid volunteers personal development through training,” he added. “The Ivy Project has a successful track record of helping young people into work. Volunteers experience a huge sense of achievement through the recognition they receive. We’re using the funds to pay for staff salaries, volunteers’ expenses and training costs.”
The Ivy Project worked with more than 600 volunteers last year to boost skills to improve their chances of getting a job. The focus is heavily on personal development, and volunteers have gone on to work in museums, play centres, and even a community healthy living centre, where volunteers have grown fruit and vegetables for the local community café.
Janine Daynes, Chair of The May Gurney Foundation, said the Norwich-based company felt it was important to give back to local communities and help people back to work, especially in tough economic times. “Our foundation supports community based charities and good causes which help young people and the long-term unemployed get into work,” she added. “It focuses on improving opportunities for people in terms of education, self help, health and wellbeing as well as supporting local environment issues.
“Helping young volunteers to gain essential skills for the world of work will build valuable experience on their CVs as well as helping to benefit the community around them. Supporting people in the local community will help them to gain the confidence to make a positive impact to their own lives as well as the lives of other people around them.”
Also benefitting from the latest round of donations from The May Gurney Foundation in Devon are Exeter Community Transport Association, Hele Hub CIC, and Freedom Social Projects.
A sum of £2,500 has been donated to Exeter Community Transport Association, which provides transport for people who need a mobility service but are unable to use public services due to age, sickness, disability or poverty. Hele Hub CIC received £5,000 and to teach people essential computer skills to improve their chances of getting a job. Finally, Freedom Social Projects received £5,000 to help vulnerable and disadvantaged individuals who are suffering from the effects of social exclusion and deprivation.
May Gurney will donate £100,000 per year until 2011 to charities across the UK. Another £15,000 has been made available to match fund May Gurney’s employees’ fund raising activities for local and national charities.
Local charity, Devon Community Foundation worked with May Gurney to distribute grants to groups based in Devon. If you would like to find out about other grant programmes in Devon, visit Devon Community Foundation www.devoncf.com.
-ends-
Notes to Editors
About May Gurney
May Gurney has a significant presence in the South West where the company employs more than 1100 people engaged in delivering essential front-line services for the local community. In addition to delivering maintenance services for South West Water, May Gurney has recently secured a long-term contract with Torbay Council covering a wide range of front-line public services including waste and recycling collections and the maintenance of highways, grounds, car parks and buildings, which starts in July 2010.
May Gurney is an infrastructure services company. We are committed to helping our clients in the public and regulated sectors deliver sustainable improvements to front-line services across the UK.
We make sure that the road, utility, rail and waterways networks and public buildings are well maintained and that household waste is collected, managed and recycled. These essential maintenance services, which are based on long-term contracts, are the ones that are visible to local communities, and make a very real difference to the quality of life. They keep the country running.
Our track record in delivering great operational performance has built long-term relationships with our clients, who rely on us to support and anticipate their current needs and improve future outcomes. This focus on excellent customer service drives May Gurney.
And we never forget that our clients trust us to engage with their customers - communities and individuals - on their behalf. It's a responsibility that everyone at May Gurney takes very seriously.
May Gurney. Delivering essential services for our communities.
For more information about this release please contact Andrew Slater, Tel: 01603 727385 or Leila Lahfa at Tribe PR, Tel: 01603 417722
May Gurney has donated £5,000 from its charitable foundation to Exeter-based The Ivy Project, which provides encouragement, motivation and support for people aged 12 to 25 in the city.
The Ivy Project, established in 1999, helps youngsters in their development and celebrates the contributions they make in their communities through volunteering activities.
The charity works with young people from a diverse range of backgrounds, particularly those at risk from social exclusion. The programme will identify disadvantaged young people who would benefit from developing skills to carry out a job search, complete an application form and perform well at interview.
Dan Kjellgren, general manager at The Ivy Project, said its work wouldn’t be possible without support from the May Gurney Foundation.
“This donation is invaluable to us and will enable staff to aid volunteers personal development through training,” he added. “The Ivy Project has a successful track record of helping young people into work. Volunteers experience a huge sense of achievement through the recognition they receive. We’re using the funds to pay for staff salaries, volunteers’ expenses and training costs.”
The Ivy Project worked with more than 600 volunteers last year to boost skills to improve their chances of getting a job. The focus is heavily on personal development, and volunteers have gone on to work in museums, play centres, and even a community healthy living centre, where volunteers have grown fruit and vegetables for the local community café.
Janine Daynes, Chair of The May Gurney Foundation, said the Norwich-based company felt it was important to give back to local communities and help people back to work, especially in tough economic times. “Our foundation supports community based charities and good causes which help young people and the long-term unemployed get into work,” she added. “It focuses on improving opportunities for people in terms of education, self help, health and wellbeing as well as supporting local environment issues.
“Helping young volunteers to gain essential skills for the world of work will build valuable experience on their CVs as well as helping to benefit the community around them. Supporting people in the local community will help them to gain the confidence to make a positive impact to their own lives as well as the lives of other people around them.”
Also benefitting from the latest round of donations from The May Gurney Foundation in Devon are Exeter Community Transport Association, Hele Hub CIC, and Freedom Social Projects.
A sum of £2,500 has been donated to Exeter Community Transport Association, which provides transport for people who need a mobility service but are unable to use public services due to age, sickness, disability or poverty. Hele Hub CIC received £5,000 and to teach people essential computer skills to improve their chances of getting a job. Finally, Freedom Social Projects received £5,000 to help vulnerable and disadvantaged individuals who are suffering from the effects of social exclusion and deprivation.
May Gurney will donate £100,000 per year until 2011 to charities across the UK. Another £15,000 has been made available to match fund May Gurney’s employees’ fund raising activities for local and national charities.
Local charity, Devon Community Foundation worked with May Gurney to distribute grants to groups based in Devon. If you would like to find out about other grant programmes in Devon, visit Devon Community Foundation www.devoncf.com.
-ends-
Notes to Editors
About May Gurney
May Gurney has a significant presence in the South West where the company employs more than 1100 people engaged in delivering essential front-line services for the local community. In addition to delivering maintenance services for South West Water, May Gurney has recently secured a long-term contract with Torbay Council covering a wide range of front-line public services including waste and recycling collections and the maintenance of highways, grounds, car parks and buildings, which starts in July 2010.
May Gurney is an infrastructure services company. We are committed to helping our clients in the public and regulated sectors deliver sustainable improvements to front-line services across the UK.
We make sure that the road, utility, rail and waterways networks and public buildings are well maintained and that household waste is collected, managed and recycled. These essential maintenance services, which are based on long-term contracts, are the ones that are visible to local communities, and make a very real difference to the quality of life. They keep the country running.
Our track record in delivering great operational performance has built long-term relationships with our clients, who rely on us to support and anticipate their current needs and improve future outcomes. This focus on excellent customer service drives May Gurney.
And we never forget that our clients trust us to engage with their customers - communities and individuals - on their behalf. It's a responsibility that everyone at May Gurney takes very seriously.
May Gurney. Delivering essential services for our communities.
For more information about this release please contact Andrew Slater, Tel: 01603 727385 or Leila Lahfa at Tribe PR, Tel: 01603 417722
News archive
Public Sector
Regulated Sector
Other News
