James Morris, Managing Director at Morland UK with staff, volunteers and youngsters at The Game Change Project
A Welshpool company has launched a three-year partnership with an organisation committed to supporting young people in the development of life skills, helping them to thrive and reach their full potential.
It means that Morland UK will be supporting The Game Change Project by raising funds and awareness for the important work the not-for-profit organisation carries out through its six-week programmes at its small holding base near Newtown.
The partnership, described as “absolutely fantastic” by a director of The Game Change Project, will also see the organisation having access to specialist advice from Morland in areas such as HR, IT and Health and Safety.
It comes as Morland launches its Community Outreach Programme which will see employees given one day’s paid leave a year to volunteer at a charity of their choice – with the hope that many will donate that time to The Game Change Project.
Morland UK, based at Buttington Cross Enterprise Park, manufactures timber based products including panels and profiles for the caravan, leisure, construction, equestrian and marine industries.
The Game Change Project supports about 100 youngsters each year to raise their aspirations, build confidence and improve well-being by taking part in fun and engaging outdoor activities. It’s an opportunity to develop essential life skills like communication, problem solving and team-working in a practical environment.
The project works closely with schools, parents and other community organisations and is dedicated to helping young people aged between 13 and 24 from all backgrounds to thrive and reach their full potential.
Richard Allen, Sales and Marketing Director at Morland, said: “We have recently been looking at sponsoring a charity but rather than choosing a national charity we decided to look closer to home and are delighted to announce that we will be supporting the not-for-profit The Game Change Project for the next three years.
“It is an excellent cause and the organisation carries out so much good work in the support of young people. We will be having various fundraising events including things like coffee mornings, mud runs and The 3 Peaks Challenge and money raised will help with the upkeep of the farm
“We also have a commitment to raise awareness about the project whenever we can and will be opening our doors to the young people at the project to come along for factory tours and present to us during given projects.
“To coincide with our partnership, Morland is introducing our Community Outreach Programme and we are hoping staff will choose to take their day’s paid leave supporting The Game Change Project – although the choice is ultimately theirs.”
Sian Roberts, director and project manager at The Game Change Project, said: “The three-year partnership offered by Morland is absolutely fantastic for us. It provides us with continuity and will help us fund extra equipment and improvements at the venue – enhancing what we offer the young people who come here.
“We won the social enterprise category at the Powys Business Awards last year which really helped to promote us to the business world, but this is the first major partnership we have had and we are really excited about it. We hope it will be a bit of a trailblazer and that other companies might want to follow in Morland’s footsteps.
“We have been inundated with referrals since Covid and this support will be invaluable. Morland is also giving us access to various expert advice which will be a big help to our team as we are only a small organisation but growing quite fast. In addition, Morland has kindly offered to give staff some paid time off each year which means they can come and volunteer for us if they choose.
“This arrangement can only benefit our young people, who get the chance to gain an insight into what it is like to be employed, and Morland employees who have the opportunity to do something a little bit different in the knowledge that they are really making a difference to the lives of local young people.”
For more about Morland, visit https://www.morlanduk.com/ and for more about The Game Change Project, visit https://www.thegamechangeproject.co.uk/.
