Ashridge Group Charity Foundation
The Ashridge Group Charity Foundation has been designed to support local charities and community groups in Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, and Bedfordshire. The Foundation provides voluntary assistance, free of charge knowledge sharing, and accredited training courses in subjects such as First Aid, Manual Handling, and Safeguarding; as well as awarding financial assistance to various charitable and community group projects and campaigns.
Ashridge Group was founded in 2012 by Group Managing Director Emma Walker and Group Chairman Mark Walker, who are both strong advocates for charitable causes. Emma is also the Chair of the Hertfordshire division of Crimestoppers UK.
Based in Wingrave, the Buckinghamshire Business Awards Company of the Year 2018 provides facilities management, security services and consultancy to sectors as diverse as corporates, live entertainment venues, rail and critical national infrastructure. Championing a people-oriented approach to business development, the company also looks to develop partnerships with other community groups and charities in the county as part of its aim to support the growth and social enrichment of the wider community.
One of the key goals of the Ashridge Group Charity Foundation is to improve communications between individual charities. Despite receiving adequate funding, many charities often do not have the high level of business acumen which allows them to fully capitalise on collaboration opportunities. By encouraging charities to share with each other, the Ashridge Group Charity Foundation aims to achieve reduced costs for all involved and promote the leveraging of individual strengths and specialisms.
Ashridge Group believes in encouraging its own employees to support the charity sector and gives each member of staff two extra days holiday to devote to good causes every year. All employees are free to choose the charity they would like to support, and the range of organisations benefiting is highly diverse, including major nationals such as SSAFA, and locally-based beneficiaries such as the Chilterns MS Centre, Lindengate, and Youth Concern (Aylesbury).
Emma Walker says, ‘Our company has always put the wellbeing of our people at the heart of our philosophy. This is the natural next step for us and we expect to fund the foundation directly from our own revenues, with a mission to aid and support projects, organisations and causes, primarily but not exclusively, in the local area. Our work brings us into contact with all types of people and we believe we have much to contribute to the greater good, not just to our business sector.’
Earlier this year, Ashridge Group won the Best in Aylesbury Vale business award at the Bucks Business event and then topped it by being awarded the overall prize of Company of the Year. Emma and Mark regularly volunteer to assist a number of charities and local groups, and share their thoughts on growing a successful business and the importance of workplace culture and local community. Ashridge Group continues to build strong links in the local area and embraces values of Diligence, Passion, Competence and Responsiveness.
The Foundation has donated £25,000 so far and has £20,000 left to give before August, £5,000 of which is ring-fenced for courses such as those mentioned above. If your community group could benefit from this funding, you can find out more at www.ashridge-group.com or email Mark Wallker at mw@ashridge-group.com.