A kind-hearted donation from Wales & West Utilities has boosted the fundraising efforts of the 2nd Pontllanfraith Guides which has helped save the group from a threatened closure.
Recent changes to the Girl Guiding Programme in September meant the group had to invest heavily in new resources, meaning other aspects suffered. As a non-profit organisation, the group were mindful of avoiding financial hardship for the families who attend and set about fundraising to alleviate the pressure the group was facing. However, a £300 donation from Wales & West Utilities has ensured that they are now firmly out of the danger zone.
Jodie McEvoy, the leader of the guide group, works for Wales & West Utilities, explains:
“Girl guiding is a fantastic opportunity for young women across the UK to discover their full potential and the Pontllanfraith unit has been running for half a century.
“We were so excited to see the new Girl Guiding Programme, which is the most revolutionary change to Girl Guiding in a number of years, but we knew that it would present some challenges for us in Pontllanfraith.
“When we looked at what was involved we were immediately concerned as we knew money would need to be reallocated away from our established programme. We set about fundraising and were absolutely thrilled to learn that my employer, Wales & West Utilities, would provide a £300 donation as part of a match-funding request.”
The donation has ensured that the unit can remain open and will provide each girl with a badge book, whilst also going towards the running of the unit, so that they can keep membership costs as low as possible for families.
Jodie continued:
“The introduction of the new programme and the ability to keep costs low will hopefully encourage more young girls in our community to get involved in Girl Guiding. We are delighted that together this fundraising will help keep Girl Guiding the leading charity for them in the UK.”
Sarah Hopkins, Wales & West Utilities People & Engagement Director, said:
“We are committed to supporting the fundraising efforts of our colleagues and Jodie and her fellow guide volunteers are doing a fantastic job in supporting young girls across the area.
“We are delighted that our donation has helped secure the future of the group.”
Girl guiding is the leading charity for girls and young women in the UK. Thanks to the dedication and support of 100,000 amazing volunteers, it is active in every part of the UK, giving girls and young women a space where they can be themselves, have fun, build friendships, gain valuable life skills and make a positive difference to their own lives and communities.