Edwinstowe-based construction firm Woodhead Group hopes to raise £40,000 for two charities in its 70th birthday year.
Managing director David Woodhead and finance director Hilary Cheshire chose to support The Prince’s Trust and St Mary’s Church, Edwinstowe, throughout 2016.

Both charities are set to benefit from a number of employee-led fundraising initiatives.

St Mary’s has strong links to the company as David and Hilary’s father, who founded the company in 1946, was a bellringer at the church, which hopes to use any money raised towards a new boiler.

The Prince’s Trust was chosen because of its long-standing relationship with the construction industry and the support it provides for 13 to 30-year-olds who are unemployed or struggling at school.

Woodhead has set a fundraising target of £25,593, £1 a day for every day of the company’s 70 year history — but it hopes to raise £40,000, which would represent’ £1,000 for each of the 40 years The Princes Trust has been helping people.

Woodhead employees have begun to take part in team challenges to see who will raise the most money for the charities.
Fay Paterson, business development manager at Woodhead, said: “The healthy competition between colleagues will hopefully help us reach our £1 a day target.”

Tony Evans, vicar at St Mary’s, said: “The kind charitable support provided by Woodhead and its employees will enable us to replace the boiler with a new energy-efficient model.”

John O’Reilly, director for The Prince’s Trust in Central England said: “We are grateful for the support of Woodhead Group, whose efforts will help us to support more unemployed young people gain the skills and confidence they need to find work.”

Fundraising events will include a swimathon, golf day, summer fair and a charity ball in September.

Pictured are team members from Woodhead pictured outside St Mary’s Church getting ready for a variety of charity activities.