North West dinner serves up £30,000 for charity

Wed, Mar 14th 2007, 11:00

Good food, entertaining company and the generosity of several companies all helped to raise almost £30,000 for a homebuilder’s charitable trust.

Long-standing suppliers, sub-contractors and advisers to award winning Redrow gathered at the five-star Lowry Hotel in Manchester for an exclusive occasion and the opportunity to boost The Redrow Foundation.

Guest speaker was Sir Digby Jones, former director-general of the CBI and one of the foundation’s trustees.  He entertained guests with anecdotes from his life in business and political lobbying, as well as highlighting the need for greater social inclusion in the commercial world for disadvantaged groups.

Thanking guests for their support, Sir Digby commented: "It is fabulous to see a successful business not just talking about social inclusion but actually doing something and making a difference to the lives of so many people.  I am proud of Redrow and delighted to be associated with the Foundation"

Also present at the dinner were representatives of two of the first charities to be helped by the Redrow Foundation – Stockport Cerebral Palsy Society and the Scope Threshold Independent Living Service in Widnes and Runcorn.

Paul Pedley, Executive Deputy Chairman for Redrow and a fellow trustee, said: “The event was a relatively small, intimate gathering for some of our closest suppliers, sub-contractors and advisors, and we are incredibly grateful to them for the generous support they have given to The Redrow Foundation. We were also delighted to welcome along representatives from two of the organisations we have helped, who were able to tell our guests first-hand what a difference their generosity has made.”

The Redrow Foundation was established last year to celebrate the company’s 50,000th legal completion, with Redrow donating an initial sum of £100,000. Since then Redrow has donated £50 from every legal completion secured, equating to a total annual contribution of around £250,000. Events like the Lowry Hotel dinner are designed to further boost the fund.

The Foundation is dedicated to providing financial support for the relief of poverty and sickness in the UK and, in particular, to providing accommodation and related assistance, including respite care, especially to children, the elderly and those who are sick or infirm.

For details of recent donations or to apply for funds, email foundation@redrow.co.uk.