Charity, Community, and Young Person Support Programme
Charity Support
The Dandy’s team are always on the lookout for ways to help out worthy causes and charities and over the years the team has managed to raise thousands of pounds for local and national charities; we’ve pulled together to play our small part as a business and as individuals to support those affected by disease, disaster and tragedy.
Leukaemia Research, Macmillan Cancer Support, Cancer Research, NSPCC and the Disasters Emergency Committee are just a few of the causes Dandy’s have raised money and awareness for. The business also regularly donates products and services to local schools and charities for fund raising events and to help get more people involved with gardening and growing.
Here's what we've done so far...
'Move the earth for them' - January 2004, £7000.00 given to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) to help the victims of the Tsunami.
'Bells and Bows' Christmas Ball - December 2008, £2830.56 raised at an event held at Northop County Club
'Ghost Hunt' in the gallows - £1251.43
'Halloween Ball' - Oct 2009, £324.71 raised at an event held at St. Davids Park Hotel
'Bonfire Party' - Nov 2009, £185.00
'Race for life' - June 2009, Clare Raised £200.00
'Adopted Charity' Cancer Research - 2010, £325.00 donated in small regular payments per month
'Race for life' - June 2011, Katie Raised £270.00 Charlotte Raised £80.00 Amanda Raised £75.00 Natasha Raised £50.00
'UpUnder2011.com - May 2011, £1286.76 sponsorship in aid of Prostate Cancer Charity UK.
New Site 'Grand Opening' Bonfire Party - Nov 5th 2010, £750.00 raised for Macmillan Cancer Support
'Parkway Telecom' Charity Ball - July 2011, £350.00 in aid of Nightingale House Hospice and Mersey Derby Tickets 2011 Season £100.00
Team total donated to date: £14,628.46
Community support...
We’re often asked to donate gardening and landscaping products for community projects, to schools and to charities. We love to support these kinds of schemes as it gets people involved with the environment, growing their own and it helps to improve the lives of those involved and those around them. We think it’s really important to get the message of “love your garden” out there!
The Dandy name might have been around since the 1800’s but the Dandy team certainly hasn’t. The average age of one of our team members is just 35 (though many would protest that this number should be lower still).
Our favourite thing to do is to take on graduates or school leavers, train them up and then promote them up the Dandy career ladder to help push the business forward and to make room for some fresh faces to get started on the career ladder themselves.
This, of course, means that our team is really made up of all ages and all experience levels – all are valued dearly.
This ethos of supporting younger and older generation spreads outside of the business as we love to try to help out those who wouldn’t be able to achieve their goals without the support of local businesses.
A few of the things we have done along these lines of support are…
During 2007, one of Dandy’s valued customers told some of the team about his son and his dreams of competing professionally in the world of Motocross. Dandy’s jumped on board and helped Adam Greenhalgh, Cheshire by providing him with the bike he needed to be able to compete in the sport professionally and at a higher level.
In 2008 Dandy’s sponsored a local under 16 football team and provided them with brand new kit so they could start the season in style. The boys went on to have great success within their league.
In 2011 Dandy's were asked to help a local cyclist, Jonathan Shorter, in his quest to raise money and awareness in the UK and Australia for Prostate Cancer.
Jonathan needed a big challenge to get his project noticed by the world media and he certainly found one when he had the idea of cycling across Australia – bottom to top.
The Dandy's team thought that this was a great challenge and decided to help him achieve his dream by flying Jon, and his bike, to Australia.
The journey was completed on schedule by the guys and they managed to raise over £5,000.00 with the help and support of Dandy’s and other nationwide businesses. You can read all about the trek and the cause over at www.upunder2011.com.
Following the London Riots in 2011, one of Dandy’s team spotted a plea for help from a community garden project with putting right the mess caused by senseless looters and rioters. Dandy’s were keen to help and so some of the company’s quality grass seed and best-selling Lawnmix Topsoil was delivered pronto so that the community could recover some of the morale crushed by the riot scenes.
Dandy's also sponsor local track racer, Tim de Winton, featured in BMW magazine; the next track day is 26th November at Oulton Park so pop down to see the car in action or to go for a spin round the track as a passenger!
Dandy’s latest sponsorship project has been Chester Rugby Club this year. The rugby season has only just begun and the guys are already turning some heads on the pitch. It looks set to be a great season and all at Dandy’s wish the boys well; you can read more about CRUFC over at www.chester-rufc.com.
