Unitas Stoke-on-Trent, which looks after 17,500 homes and approximately 600 public buildings owned by Stoke-on-Trent City Council, has announced that they have secured £875,389.68 of social value contribution in Stoke-on-Trent during 2022.
Many of the recipients of these funds have been Stoke-on-Trent based charities and initiatives, with the Unitas team helping the Tri Services Veterans Charity to work in the iconic Tontine Building (known to many local residents as the Old Post Office) and assisting Joiners Square Community Centre with a refit that established new fire-safe doors in their entrance way.
In addition, Unitas has provided a Supported Internship and a number of apprenticeships and work experience opportunities throughout the year in departments throughout the organisation.
Further work has included collecting and distributing goods for the Lord Mayor Councillor Faizal Hussain’s charity, carrying out Fire Risk Assessments, and performing litter picks in Northwood and Abbey Hulton.
Unitas’ Corporate Social Responsibility co-ordinator, Rachel Forster said: “We have had a fantastic year and have been very busy spreading our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) cheer this year.
“CSR is imbedded into Unitas’ culture and this is evident by the work that we do in in partnership with our contractors.
“Over this past year we have supported many new community groups and delivered projects that have had a positive impact on the lives of the people within Stoke-on-Trent.
“We still have money in our Helping Hands fund and would encourage community groups within Stoke-on-Trent to submit an application, on the following link CSR – Unitas.”
Unitas has also awarded £2,500 to six local community groups as part of its Helping Hands Initiative.
Helping Hands is Unitas’ own charitable fund and the money in the funding pot is raised through the sale of scrap metal.
The six groups who’ve received funding are all Stoke-on-Trent based and include Eastwood Hanley who purchased all-weather bench coats for their players and SFC Stormvogels Under 11 Girls Football Team who were given funds to purchase winter coats and kits.
Finally, throughout 2022, Unitas staff have raised £8,070 for their chosen charity, Cancer Research UK.
Staff have carried out numerous activities to raise funds, including climbing Mt. Snowden, completing the Potters ‘Arf, a boxing match, a variety of quizzes, a donation bag amnesty and Christmas Jumper Day.
Interim Director Neil Macleod commented: “It’s great to see how our staff and contractors have embraced the organisation’s commitment to contribute back to the communities in which we all work.
“Our aim is to continue to grow this contribution in the coming years.”
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