Social value – Page 2 – Sandwell Business Growth

Sandwell Clothing Bank: introducing a power-ful partner to help a community cause

We introduced our socially minded electrical contractors to a community clothing bank. The resulting partnership has warmed hearts – as well as a church hall in Bearwood.

St. Mary’s Church in Bearwood works with Sandwell Churches Link to host Sandwell Clothing Bank. This community scheme receives and sorts surplus unsold items of clothing and shoes, then distributes them to people who need them the most.

Hosting the Sandwell Clothing Bank brought a new lease of life to the hall at St. Mary’s, which had previously been empty. It has plenty of space to help volunteers do their good work.

St Mary's Church hall before McCann work — *Lots of potential: the hall at St. Mary’s Church in Bearwood, before the electrical work*

However, as the first winter of the partnership approached, it became apparent that the unheated hall could not house clothes in a suitable way. There was a risk that the Sandwell Clothing Bank stock would be affected by cold and damp.

The project had received a donation towards the cost of greenhouse-style heaters. These would prevent the hall temperature from falling below dew point. However, the hall still needed two new radial circuits to run around the perimeter, and new sockets.

‘Community benefits that go on’

Our Business Growth Team had an idea. Sandwell Council has a strong social value agenda and, as a result, we nurture excellent relationships with suppliers who are keen to give back to our local communities.

So Karen Richards, our Community Benefits Coordinator, approached J McCann & Co Ltd, one of Sandwell Council’s street lighting contractors. She asked whether the McCann team could help.

Happily, they could. McCann agreed to install the required electrical infrastructure at no cost to St Mary’s. Electrical engineers Josh and Dean even gave up their free time on a Saturday to complete the work.

Nick Brownlow is a project manager for McCann. He said: “We are always happy to help a good cause, wherever needed, and believe in supporting community benefits that go on supporting long after we move on from our works.”

Karen said: “We are always grateful to our council contractors supporting the council’s social value ethos and bring added value to our communities. We want to thank McCann for their hard work in making this hub a safe warm environment for the Sandwell Clothing Bank to succeed.”

As well as bringing physical warmth for Sandwell Clothing Bank, McCann has given generously to other causes in Sandwell. The company has donated books and given voluntary hours to local primary schools, including through ‘when I grow up’ reading sessions. It also contributed to Sandwell Council’s Christmas gift appeal. We thank the team for their continued generosity.

Can your business help Sandwell Clothing Bank?

James Lynch from Sandwell Church Links said: “Sandwell Clothing Bank are seeking donations of much-needed brand new or good quality supplies of clothes and shoes. We would welcome a conversation with local clothing and shoes outlets, to explore ways in which they might be able to partner with the project.”

Our Sandwell Business Growth Team can put you in touch if needed.

From left to right in the main picture: Josh Beck from J McCann & Co Limited. James Lynch, Chief Executive Officer of Sandwell Churches Link. Frank Herbert from St. Mary’s Church. Michael Wragg, Senior Social Value Officer at Sandwell Council. Dean Hodgkins from J McCann & Co Limited.

Windsor Olympus Academy: thanking a contractor for showing bags of generosity

BAM UK & Ireland built the Windsor Olympus Academy – then provided 181 branded bags for the new school’s first intake of students.

Windsor Olympus Academy is a new secondary school in Winson Green, near Smethwick. Having opened in September 2023 to Year 7 students, it will grow yearly to provide education for 900 students.

BAM UK & Ireland was the main contractor for the school’s construction. BAM built to a design created by Maber Architects and Dally Henderson Landscape Architects Ltd. The school comprises a three-storey building and linked two-storey sports hall, together with extensive hard and soft landscaping.

Windsor Olympus Academy has a sport and PE specialism. Its elite sports facilities include a full size all-weather artificial 3G pitch, multi-use games areas and a fitness studio.

A badged school bag for 181 students

Having completed the work, the BAM team wanted to give a little extra to the students embarking on secondary school life at Windsor Olympus Academy. At Sandwell Council, we encourage social value from our contractors, so we were delighted when BAM offered to fund a badged school bag for each of the 181 new Year 7 students.

We also encourage local spending to boost our Sandwell economy, so we further celebrated BAM’s decision to buy the bags from Gogna, a sport and school uniform supplier with a shop in Oldbury.

Michael Wragg is Senior Social Value Officer on our Business Growth Team at Sandwell Council. He said: “Through this funding of a great new bag for the students, BAM also created some increased local spend in the area. Thank you to them – and all contractors to Sandwell Council who give back more to our communities.”

[Pictured outside Gogna premises: Michael Wragg from Sandwell Council, Junior Gogna from Gogna and Phil Eves from BAM Construction.]

From little acorns: bringing a contractor together with the Oak Tree Centre

When the centre manager from the Oak Tree Centre asked Sandwell Council if they could get help in transforming their counselling room, our Social Value Team introduced them to the kind-hearted local team at Axis Europe.

The Oak Tree Centre is a community centre on Tame Road in Brandhall, Oldbury. It offers space and activities for local people, from playgroups to party room hire.

Cosmetic uplift for the Oak Tree Centre

Its Bedford Lounge is a peaceful and safe environment for confidential matters and counselling sessions. The lounge is well loved but, until recently, it was in need of a cosmetic uplift.

Lydia Lamb is the centre manager at the Oak Tree Centre. When Lydia asked Sandwell Council’s Social Value Team about help with transforming the Bedford Lounge, Karen Richards, our Community Benefits Coordinator, was up for the challenge.

‘Even more harmonious’

Karen contacted a council contractor based in Oldbury to see whether they could help with this small task. Axis Europe took it on. The team fully decorated and wallpapered the room, donating a clock and furniture to make it feel even more harmonious.

Lydia said: “We are so thankful for the support from Axis to taking on the Bedford Lounge project, making it far more comfortable and welcoming. We are also grateful to Karen and Beatrice [Axis Europe’s Resident Liaison Officer] in making this happen”.

Bedford Lounge: a clean, light room with light brown leather sofa and modern coffee table with a box of tissues on it

Jodie Shepherd is Axis Europe’s Customer Service Manager. She said: “It is Axis Europe’s pleasure to have supported creating a more relaxed and harmonious environment for the community room used to help and support local families from a wellbeing perspective”.

Passionate about social value

Sandwell Council is passionate about social value. This is the idea that investments we make should bring wider social and environmental benefits to our local communities.

Grey bucket chair at a clean wooden, modern, steel-framed desk: an 'after' picture of the counselling room at the Oak Tree Centre

Social value can take the form of fundraising activities. It can also be the donation of skills, knowledge, labour or time ‘in kind’ for social good. This corporate giving can help a business to foster team spirit, develop skills, grow customer loyalty and even win contracts. Many suppliers are keen to get involved, so our Social Value Team works hard to help them find social value opportunities.

[Pictured at the top: Lydia and Beatrice in the Oak Tree Centre.]

‘Heaven sent’: matching a contractor with a Sandwell church for community benefit

When our Social Value Officer Karen Richards introduced Sandwell Council contractor Parade Civil Engineering to St. Mary’s Church in Bearwood, it brought about the decluttering of the church garden to become a functioning community space again.

At Sandwell Council, we have a strong social value agenda, looking to work with suppliers who go beyond the scope of their contracts to bring wider social and environmental benefits to our local communities.

Our Social Value Team works hard to help our suppliers find social value opportunities. This could be through fundraising activities, for example, or by offering their skills, knowledge, labour or time ‘in kind’. Corporate giving can help a business to foster team spirit, develop skills, grow customer loyalty and even win future contracts. Many suppliers are keen to get involved.

Happy coincidence

One such example was Parade Civil Engineering, a Birmingham-based company which delivers highway support to local authorities including Sandwell Council. The Parade team approached our Social Value Officer Karen Richards to see whether she knew of any community projects needing a helping hand.

By happy coincidence, volunteers at St. Mary’s Church in Bearwood had also approached Karen that week. They were seeking help to declutter their church garden so it could become a functioning community patio again.

Red digger at work in the garden at St Mary's Church in Bearwood

Karen matched the two organisations – and work began as soon as the weather would allow.

It took two weeks, with church volunteers and Parade staff working together against inclement weather.

Above and beyond

The Parade team went “above and beyond”, Karen told us. “Not only clearing away overgrown weeds and brambles but also relaying the paving stones to make the ground even”.

Together they made the cluttered space into a functioning patio, which the church community can enjoy once more.

Karen also said Sam Woods and Pav Virdi from Parade Civil Engineering, and their team, were supportive every step of the way.

They sent a message saying: “We would like to thank Sandwell Council and their Social Value Team for giving us the opportunity to work with St. Mary’s Church.

“Our team have enjoyed offering their skills for the benefit of the local community and having the chance to work with great people. We would also like to thank Midland Forestry for being a part of this project too.”

Clean and inviting patio garden at St Mary's Church in Bearwood

“We don’t know how to say thank you enough”

Sam Woods of Parade, Ruth Downing from St Mary's Church and Karen Richards from Sandwell Council

St. Mary’s Church community was delighted as well.

Ruth Downing said: “St. Mary’s Church is so happy with the outcome. A big thank you to all at Parade Civils for all your hard work and Karen for the introduction.

“We don’t know how to say thank you enough. We are now looking forward to holding our Christmas Fayre outside in our new garden this year.”

Pictured left to right: Sam Woods of Parade Civil Engineering, Ruth Downing of St. Mary’s Church in Bearwood, and our Social Value Officer Karen Richards.

An asset to our team: supporting an apprentice at Sandwell Council

Our Business Growth Team is delighted to have Marketing and Communications Apprentice Ethan Bailey working with us. Here’s why he’s an asset to our team – and why apprenticeships in general are so important.

About Ethan Bailey

Ethan Bailey joined Sandwell Council as a Marketing and Communications Apprentice in November 2022, after he completed his GCSEs. He works for our Business Growth Team full time, with 20 per cent ‘off the job’ hours dedicated to college study and a three-hour seminar every other week. In a short time, Ethan has become integral to our team, carrying out everything from social media and email marketing to graphic design.

Why and how Sandwell Council is supporting Ethan

We are committed to giving tomorrow’s workforce meaningful employment, with real-world experience and clear opportunities for career advancement.

Taking on an apprentice is also a way for the Business Growth Team at Sandwell Council to grow its talent pool, by training and developing a young person to exactly meet the needs of our department.

We have Ethan working for us in house and remotely. Our team supports him in his learning, alongside a marketing associate who collaborates with us. Ethan is engaged in practical assignments, such as writing and publishing stories for our website, as well as creating branding and marketing materials for our Sandwell Start-Up Hub.

“I’ve gained new skills and knowledge”

Ethan said his experience so far has been incredibly rewarding.

“As a young person interested in marketing, I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in this field. That’s when I discovered the benefits of becoming an apprentice. An apprenticeship offered me the opportunity to gain qualifications, relevant work experience, and earn money, all while advancing my career faster than traditional college pathways.

“My experience as an apprentice so far has been incredibly rewarding, and I’ve gained new skills and knowledge in a variety of different areas. The key improvements I’ve noticed have been in my copywriting and graphic design skills, which I’ve been able to develop through the many opportunities provided by my apprenticeship. Additionally, my communication skills have improved significantly since I started, something I wasn’t confident in before. Everyone at the council where I’m an apprentice has been very supportive and understanding.

“The personal growth that I’m experiencing as an apprentice is invaluable, especially when considering the impact it will have on my future. By the time my apprenticeship is over, I’ll have a Level 3 marketing qualification and two years of work experience in my chosen career field. This will undoubtedly benefit me when it comes time to apply for jobs or pursue further education.

“Overall, I believe that if you are confident in the career path you want to take, then an apprenticeship is definitely worth considering. It provides the opportunity to gain skills, knowledge, and experience in a real-world setting, which can ultimately benefit you in the long run.”

“We are learning things from Ethan too”

Nicy Morgan is our Sandwell Anchor Network Coordinator and Ethan’s line manager here at the council. She said Ethan has hit the ground running as an apprentice.

“When we interviewed Ethan for the role of Marketing and Communications Apprentice, we knew he had the aptitude to develop himself, his skills and knowledge to achieve his Level 3 Apprenticeship and, in turn, expand the skills and knowledge of our team.

“In this time of rapid technological advancement, it’s brilliant having a bright young person on board – we are definitely learning things from Ethan too.

“Ethan has surpassed all our expectations – and our expectations were high! He is part of our team and delivering design work that we would be proud of from a graduate.

“The future is bright for Ethan and I’m glad Sandwell Council has been able to give him this springboard.”