Cobham’s apprentices give back to the local community as part of their apprenticeship, raising vital funds for local school
Wimborne, UK: As part of their studies at college, six Cobham
apprentices have completed a voluntary Community Giving project
which began last autumn, helping a school in Dorset install therapy
and sensory equipment and raising nearly £700. The Cobham students,
who are currently studying apprenticeships at Bournemouth and Poole
College, reached out to the local community in Bournemouth to ask
schools if there were any voluntary projects underway that they
could get involved in. Beaucroft Foundation School in Dorset; a
specialist school for students with learning difficulties, asked
the apprentices to help them purchase and install much-needed
therapy and sensory equipment.
The Cobham apprentices launched a two-fold fundraising
programme, to pay for materials and equipment, by holding a charity
football tournament and cycling between Marlow and Wimborne to
encourage Cobham employees to sponsor them. The small group of six
apprentices, who cycled the gruelling distance of 120 miles over
two days, battled with sun, rain, strong winds, camping in near
freezing conditions and two broken bicycles to eventually complete
the challenge. The charity football tournament held in September,
tested the apprentices' sporting stamina even further and raised an
additional £74, bringing the total raised to £674.
Cobham apprentice Dan Leigh who was part of the team of six,
said "the ride was difficult but gained a lot of support from our
colleagues at Cobham who saw us cycling every day. Fundraising was
crucial to ensure we had the money to purchase equipment that the
school desperately needed. I enjoyed taking part in such a
worthwhile cause and I'm much healthier for it!"
Another apprentice, Arhian Davies, added "the experience was
really enjoyable and an eye-opener for all of us. We got to
interact with the students which reinforced why we were doing the
project and why facilities like the Sensory Room are so important
to children whose needs wouldn't be met in a mainstream
school."
Gerry Bishop, Cobham's Emerging Talent Manager said "we offered
the apprentices the opportunity to get involved in a community
project as part of their apprenticeships because giving back to the
communities in which we are located is taken very important to
Cobham. There are some very worthwhile causes that we believe our
employees could get involved in; it also supports their personal
development."
"I am proud of the apprentices for battling the elements and
raising funds for Beaucroft Foundation School. I hope the
experience will encourage them to get involved in similar projects
in future and that they have not been put off cycling for
life!"
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External Communications UK & ROW
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