Company news Charity begins at Pensord

Charity begins at Pensord

Charity begins at Pensord

Leading specialist magazine printer Pensord is ‘putting something back’ with the launch of a Charity Fund that will see a proportion of profits go towards charity in a scheme administered by Pensord staff.

Soon after Tony Jones’ management buyout of Pensord last year the company announced the aim to establish a Charity Fund that would return profits to good causes, a fund that would be administered and distributed by ‘Pensord People’. Since then the Charities Commission and other relevant experts have been consulted on how best to do this, and a plan has now been hatched.

Staff were invited to put their names forward to be part of the Charity Team, and those with enthusiasm and perhaps some fundraising experience were particularly sought. That team is now in place and the company can start to plan for the first donations to charity from the fund which we hope will be early in 2005.

As to where the funds will go – that is totally up to the Team. They will get together to consider the views of their colleagues and establish the criteria for future donations, and the parameters for future fundraising initiatives. They will then meet at regular intervals to assess ideas against these criteria and allocate funds accordingly.

Finance Director Graham Lambert will act as Secretary, and Tony Jones will play an active role. Graham says: “I'm very pleased to be involved in this project, both from a personal and business point of view.  Pensord and its people interact on many different levels with communities across the UK, and it's important that we use this opportunity to strengthen the non-commercial aspects of those relationships, hence enabling us to grow as people and not just as a business.  I also hope that we'll have a bit of fun along the way!"

The Team is made up of Tony Jones; Graham Lambert; Paul Mills, Business Development Manager; Theresa Price, Customer Service Support; and Phil Stainer, Mailing Line Operator.

Tony Jones says: “One of the benefits of ownership of the company is being able to do things like this without restraint. It’s a privilege to be able to put something back, and this will be rewarding for me, and for everyone involved at Pensord.”

Carol Gillanders, the NSPCC Full Stop Campaign Manager, Wales says: “It is encouraging to see companies such as Pensord looking to put something back into the community. Devoting a percentage of profits to charity in a fund that is controlled and managed by staff is exemplary, and all charities will welcome this move.”

To get the fund up and running, Pensord is making a donation of £1 to the Charity Fund for every quote they supply – with immediate effect. Each time a quotation is raised for a printing project - charity will benefit by £1, and it won’t cost customers a penny. The more quotes raised to customer specifications, the more money is raised for charity.  This pound per quote initiative will run until at least May 2005.