At Autorama we believe that as a business grows so does its responsibility to the environment around it. An important part of that for us is to foster positive relationships within the local community and to support charities on both a local and national level.
But we don't just want to throw cash at our preferred charities. Ensuring that all of our staff understand our passion for altruism by encouraging them to 'do their bit' in helping to raise funds for charity themselves - no matter how much they make - is important to the Autorama way. By getting staff involved in fund raising activities as well as the business donating £10 to our preferred charities for every vehicle sold, we are well on our way to meeting our target of raising £50,000 this year. Our employees are certainly getting in the fundraising spirit, throwing themselves (literally) into charity challenges, from sky dives to bake offs, mud runs to beauty evenings the appetite for supporting the following worthy causes is boundless:
The Hospice of St. Francis
The Hospice of St Francis is a Hertfordshire based charity that provides professional support and care for people with life shortening illness. They bring peace, comfort and dignity to people and help them live life to the full, for whatever time is left. The charity receives around 20% of its funding from the NHS. The Hospice relies on the generosity of the local community to fund the remaining 80% of its costs.
DENS
DENS aims to prevent homelessness right across Dacorum by offering temporary accommodation and help in resettlement to independent living, for single homeless people.DENS provides a number of integrated services: DENS Night Shelter, emergency and short term accommodation; DENS Day Centre, advice and a daytime haven; DENS Rent Aid, a deposit guarantee and support scheme with private landlords; DENS Dacorum Foodbank, emergency food supplies; and DENS Enterprises, creating income.
Battersea Cats & Dogs Home
Established in 1860, Battersea Dogs & Cats Home aims never to turn away a dog or cat in need of its help. Battersea reunites lost dogs and cats with their owners through their Lost Dogs & Cats Line or cares for them until new homes can be found for them, giving them shelter and the highest standards of kennelling and veterinary care. Since it was founded, Battersea has rescued, reunited and rehomed over 3.1 million dogs and cats across the UK. Battersea Dogs & Cats Home receives no central government funding towards the care of its dogs and cats and relies on the generosity and support of the public to help care for lost and abandoned dogs & cats.
Prostate Cancer UK
Prostate cancer is predicted to become the most common cancer by 2030. Yet many men are unaware of the disease and research is still badly underfunded. Prostate Cancer UK fights to help more men survive prostate cancer and enjoy a better quality of life. It does this by supporting men and providing information, finding answers by funding research and leading change to raise awareness and improve care.
Vanarama has set itself a 45-day challenge to raise £150,000 for the charity - in partnership with the National League. We're donating £50 to the charity every time we lease a van. We've even renamed ourselves "Manarama" to celebrate the 6-week drive to £150,000, with the strapline "lease a van, save a man". Read more about this campaign here.
We would love to support everybody, but we hope you can see that our list of preferred charities encompasses a wide cross-section of society and are sure you feel that they are all fundamentally worthwhile causes.
