After the first few years of our foundation we soon came to the conclusion that dishing out corporate gifts was something that didn’t sit well with us. Agreed, it’s nice to receive a present, but there were only so many bottles of unwanted whisky that you could fit in your cupboard. I distinctly recall around 2004 I asked a client, a textile company in Skipton, what her favourite ‘tipple’ was, and she replied “All I want is to receive a good service all year round!”.
So that was it.
Since then, we have donated to several charities every year, initially around Christmas time, but over the last few years we have supported various causes throughout the year as it felt right, including some sponsorships. We had already scrapped the corporate Christmas cards a year earlier, although popular demand has had us retain the annual calendar.
But this year has been woeful to say the least, which led us to make a point of making several donations specifically at this time. We have selected four charities in all; two relatively unglamorous, but important charities – VersusArthritis and Alzheimers, and two smaller charities – Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary, and Ark Therapies.
The latter two rely totally on contributions alone, and if you only follow through one of the links, please make it Ark Therapies. The work which Sharon does is totally self-funded and without the opportunity this year (and for the foreseeable) to be ‘open to visitors’, simply maintaining the status quo is an uphill challenge in itself.
Here is wishing everyone a nice, if quiet, Christmas, and brace yourself for 2021.