Scott Bader Company - Rural Community Support

EMRAF Rural Charter Award 2005

Scott Bader Company, a polymer manufacturer, plays a leading role in the local rural community. Its activities have a geographical bias due to its rural location in the village of Wollaston in Northamptonshire. It donates financial support, time, equipment, facilities and the enthusiasm of its committed senior staff and the many other members of its 300+ UK employees. In 2004 it donated 26.1 percent (£217,048) of its pre-tax profits to charitable causes and in 2005 won the EMRAF Rural Charter Award for its work in the rural community.

Processes

The principal contribution the Company makes to the rural economy is by continuing to use the Wollaston site as its Group Headquarters and principal manufacturing site and by hiring out its large ‘Commonwealth’ Centre that accommodates a maximum of 200 people; its facilities include a bar, dance floor, stage, food preparation area, chairs, tables and toilet facilities. The local community uses it for functions such as weddings and parties at a rate between £100 - £200 dependant on the day, charity and fundraising events are charged between £60 - £80.

Each year every employee is given £150 to spend on a charity of their choice. Much of this is spent in the village to support local activities. Many individuals are active members of their local community and this money supports that work. Some examples are:

  • Wollaston & Strixton pre-school playgroup
  • Busy Bees preschool playgroup
  • Wollaston Association of Youths (Brownies, Beavers, etc)
  • Oasis Coffee Bar (evening group for youths in Wollaston)
  • Wollaston Primary and Secondary Schools
  • Hope Project

For the past six years The Company has been awarded the PerCent Standard for companies that donate 1% or more of pre-tax profits to charitable causes.

Impact

The £7000 donated by the Company to the SOFA project provided the main funding source for the first two years. It is now established as a charitable trust and provides furniture, etc. for the needs of clients of Bridge Accommodation, the Daylight Centre, Northamptonshire County Council Social Care & Health, Service Six, Wellingborough Council and Wellingborough Women’s Aid. This project has the highest volunteer involvement (eight volunteers to one paid staff) and the highest percentage of self-generated funding (about 50% budgeted for 2005/6) compared with other local schemes.

Impact

  • £10,000 to CAN (the anti-drug charity) – the first of two years funding towards the salary of a Children’s worker in the villages.
  • £10,000 to Wollaston Sports Association towards the cost of a new building with improved changing and toilet facilities. The building is used by the football, cricket & tennis clubs.
  • £2,000 to the Pastoral Counselling Service for the purchase of equipment.
  • £200 toward the Young Enterprise awards.
  • £3,000 to Service Six in Wellingborough (teenage pregnancy advice & support) – second year funding for a young person support worker.
  • £3,100 to the Hope Project towards their Festival week.
  • £5,000 to the Northamptonshire Society for Autism – third year funding to the Assert project that which helps train young Autistic people to enable them to work.
  • £6,000 to Kettering Centre for the Unemployed – first of three years funding toward core costs (salaries, etc.).
  • £7,000 to SOFA WISE project, which released £70,000 in landfill tax credits and provided the main funding source for the first two years.
  • £950 to Ecton Village Primary School for the purchase of new outdoor equipment.
  • 23 small grants totalling £585 to local schools and charities to support fundraising activities (raffles and prizes etc.).
  • In 2003 the Company donated £217,048 (26% of its pre-tax profits) and in 2002, the contribution was £173,845 (35% of its pre-tax profits) to local not-for-profit organisations.
  • In 2003 the Company’s total commitment was £217,048, which was 26% of the pre-tax profits. In 2002, the contribution was £173,845 which was 35% of the pre-tax profits.
  • Leased a piece of land to the Parish Council and donated £12,000+ to convert it into a ‘Pocket Park’.
East Midlands Rural Affairs Forum

Sponsor of the EMRAF Rural Charter Award

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