Community Groups Need Firm Support

A recruitment drive is being launched this week to find more Norfolk firms willing to give their time and expertise to community and voluntary groups, free of charge.

Pro-bono volunteering is also good for business as it develops professional skills in a new environment and motivates employees and partners.

Thousands of pounds worth of pro-bono advice is given each year by surveyors, architects, lawyers and accountants through Norfolk ProHelp - but more help is needed.

'It's a remarkably successful scheme with so many advantages' said Lynda Osborne, who administers Norfolk Pro-Help's day-to day activities.

'Prohelp rovides a first class quality service that benefits the participating business, its employees and the wider community- but we always need more firms to join our army of volunteers.'

A business breakfast at Park Farm, Hethersett, on Friday will showcase the work of Norfolk ProHelp as a selection of panel members- mainly from the IT, marketing, media and PR sectors- give short presentations on projects they have undertaken.
The event is part of National Pro-Bono Week, which highlights the scale, scope and impact of pro-bono work across the professions.

One Norfolk ProHelp project has seen Norwich based marketing and design agency Datadrum develop new branding and a website for Norfolk Homemakers, the local charity which provides affordable furniture to people in need and on low incomes.

'The new brand logo has been designed to portray a friendly, approachable yet professional organisation with a very personal and community focus. It was great working with Norfolk Homemakers and we are proud to be putting our branding expertise back into the local community through ProHelp' said Datadrum director Mark Ellaway, whose firm put 33 hours of pro-bono work into the project.

Homemakers Chairman Tom Gilbert said: 'I 'd like to congratulate Mark and his team for the excellent branding for Homemakers. The website is brilliant and I am sure it will help us to develop our services for those whom we seek to help.'

Norfolk ProHelp Chairman David Thompson, of LSI Architects said: 'In a challenging economic climate, community groups need more support from business than eve. Business volunteering professional time and skills make a huge contribution to communities in need.

'Pro-bono volunteering is also good for business as it develops professional skills ina  new environment and motivates employees and partners'.

Norfolk ProHelp is part of the national ProHelp campaign, which was established in 1989 by Business in the Community. The county group has supported 69 organisations in the year to 30th June 2009, with pro bono work worth almost £261,000.

Further Information 

Community groups and firms interested in learning more about ProHelp can write to Lynda Osborne, PO Box 1211, Blofield, Norwich NR13 5WA, call 07739 899473 or email lynda.osborne@bitc.org.uk.