DERBYSHIRE, UK – 5 December 2022 – The Derbyshire-based telecommunications company has partnered with a local school that supports students with a diverse range of complex special educational needs.
During the business’ 25th Anniversary celebrations the company announced its new partnership with Alfreton Park School as part of its aim to look forward to the next 25 years. Whilst charitable support and fundraising have always been important to A1 Comms, the new joint venture focuses on giving back to the local community that has been home to the business since its inception. See the video below for more.
Alfreton Park School is a school for children and young people aged 2 to 19 who have moderate to severe learning and physical difficulties, including life-limiting conditions. They have an enthusiastic and caring team dedicated to providing pupils with as many life-enhancing opportunities as possible. To do this, they have had to fundraise or rely on grant applications, which can be challenging and often unreliable.
“The support of A1 Comms means the world to our small school,” says Rebecca Dallman, School Business Manager. “The positive impact on our pupils is beyond measure, as it demonstrates to our young people that they are valued members of society who are worth investing in.”
The school is currently working toward a goal of £300k to re-purpose its disused deer shed into a café and community shop within Alfreton Park, to be run by the students. Not only will the project provide the local community with improved facilities, but the pupils of Alfreton Park School will be able to gain vital work experience before leaving education.
“We’re delighted to have formed a partnership with Alfreton Park School,” said Victoria Fearnley, HR Director at A1 Comms. “The Deer Shed build stood out to us as a hugely deserving community project. Not only will it create a wonderful space for the local community to enjoy, but it will be vital in helping the students learn skills for life after education.”
As of January 2023, employees of A1 Comms will be able to take a day of paid Volunteers’ Leave to help raise vital funds to support the Deer Shed build. The money raised in donations each year will be matched by the company – however, the partnership goes beyond fundraising alone.
A1 Comms has also committed to facilitating work experience opportunities for older students who might otherwise struggle to gain the skills needed to secure employment beyond school.
The partnership is beneficial to the young adults from the school, but also to A1 Comms, which has pledged to improve its understanding of people with more complex needs. Some of the ways it intends to do this are to offer increased neurodiversity training to its management teams and to work towards accommodating people of various physical and neurodiverse needs within the business wherever possible.
“We’re only at the beginning of our partnership,” Victoria continued, ” but we are already looking forward to building on our initial fundraising efforts to find new ways to support the school’s amazing work in the community.”
The company also hopes that following the recent decision to introduce hybrid working, its fundraising efforts will be an effective way to regularly galvanise teams and bring remote working staff together for a deserving cause.
Press Contact
Jamie Dalton
A1 Comms
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