Leap of faith for Arval employees

Businesses in Swindon laid out their plans for reducing their carbon emissions and helping their town to hit its net-zero target last week.

Staff at Swindon-based construction firm Beard have presented cheques worth a total of £5,000 to Prospect Hospice and children’s cancer and leukaemia charity CALM, following a year of fundraising.

The charities were chosen by a vote involving every member of staff at the firm’s Swindon office. Prospect Hospice provides end-of-life care services for a community of more than 300,000 in Swindon, Marlborough and north-east Wiltshire. CALM helps families that have a child receiving treatment at the Great Western Hospital in Swindon, most of whom are also based in the Swindon and Marlborough area.

An annual Christmas gift-wrapping stall in The Brunel Shopping Centre has surpassed all expectations and looks set to raise £7,000 for Prospect Hospice, bringing the total since the initiative started to around £30,000.

The stall, which requests cash donations in return for wrapping shoppers’ Christmas presents, is run by an army of volunteers throughout December each year.