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B&Q is the UK's leading home improvement retailer, offering over 45,000 inspirational home improvement and garden products for the homemaker; occasional to serious DIY'er; and trade professional.
With more than 330 stores in the UK, the company employs some 38,000 staff. B&Q genuinely strives to be a good employer and a community focused business. It embraces diversity, valuing the skills its different employees bring to the business – its oldest worker is 92, he joined the business on a part-time basis after he retired and works as a greeter at our store in Croydon. Work life balance is important to the company and not only offers but supports, job sharing, flexible working, working from home and career breaks.
B&Q is no stranger to challenging or sporting events. For eight years it sponsored Ellen MacArthur in her epic round the world solo sailing adventures. During the time of B&Q’s sponsorship, Ellen is estimated to have sailed 245,000 nautical miles – approximately 10 times around the world – during which, she spent over 12 months at sea alone. She now holds five awards including the solo round the world record, in a time of 71 days, 14 hours, 18 minutes and 33 seconds.
Following her amazing achievements B&Q stepped down as principal sponsor to Ellen in March 2006. The company continues to support the Ellen MacArther Trust, which supports, empowers and enlivens children suffering from cancer or leukaemia by introducing them to the joys of sailing at sea.
B&Q is currently working in partnership with the British Olympic Association
to support the British team until the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
As part of its commitment to Team GB, B&Q is supporting a squad of its
very own athletes, “Team B&Q”. This team consists of a mixture
of Olympians, Para-Olympians and aspiring Olympians, who are aiming to be
selected for Team GB in the future Olympic Games of Beijing 2008. B&Q
employs 11 aspiring Olympians who are all working in B&Q stores across
the UK. They work full-time but are given the flexibility to work around
their rigorous training and competition schedules. In addition to employment,
through its partnership with Team GB, these aspiring athletes also receive
ongoing mentoring from the seven experienced Olympians.
With so many stores and employees, B&Q works hard to make itself a better
neighbour in all the communities it serves. It does this by seeking to minimise
its negative impact and supporting community and charitable projects.
Each year B&Q selects four national charities to work with. 2007’s
nominated charities are; The CF Trust, Cancer Research, The Poppy Appeal
and The Ellen MacArthur Trust.
B&Q reviews its nominated charities on a yearly basis, so if you are a national charity and wish to be considered for 2008, please send your proposal by 1 December 2007 to: Charitable Donations, B&Q plc, PO Box 219, Eastleigh, Hampshire SO53 3YY.
As well as its support for national charities, B&Q has been involved in thousands of great community projects up and down the country. If you are working on a community project, a good place to start is at your local B&Q store. Enquire as to whether they have any waste materials, such as part used pots of paint of timber that is no longer required.
If you have something more substantial in mind, B&Q may be able to assist through its ‘Better Neighbour Grant’. The grant offers community groups funding of between £50-£500 for materials for projects that will have long-term benefits for the local community. If you wish to apply for a better neighbour grant you should do so through your local store, but when doing so please remember each store has a limited budget. For more information on Better Neighbour Grants click on the link.
In true B&Q spirit, the company also hosts an annual ‘You Can
Do It’ award. The award offers 20 projects £5,000 of materials.
Since the Awards were launched in 1995, over £1 million of B&Q
products have been awarded to over 200 community groups. To be in with a
chance of gaining an award this year, applications need to be in by 30 March
2007. This is an annual award so if you’ve missed this year’s
deadline, entry forms for 2008 will be available at the end of January 2008.
For more information visit www.diy.com/awards
Links to:
B&Q’s website www.diy.com
CF Trust www.cftrust.org.uk
Ellen MacArthur Trust www.ellenmacarthurtrust.org
Cancer Research www.cancerresearchuk.org
The Poppy Appeal www.britishlegion.org.uk
