A time for giving
At Monmouthshire, part of our ethos is about giving back to the communities we serve. This is something we do year-round through our various community initiatives, but it’s never more special than at Christmas.
Our Group Treasurer, Stuart Clarke, explains what giving back at Christmas means to him…
“While many of us love the lights and festivities at this time of year, there’s something extra special about Christmas for me.
“Before my wife, Sharron, and I adopted our wonderful little boy, Kaydan, we didn’t realise just how may vulnerable children in our local communities were cared for by foster parents or social workers.
“Not every child known to Children’s Services is lucky enough to have a forever home or receive the kind of love and care we very often take for granted. And for many of these children, Christmas can act as a stark reminder of the things they long for but miss out on – family traditions, cozy gatherings, and the security of a forever home.
“Several years ago, I started a Society tradition of supporting local children’s services. Each year we collect toys and games for looked after children in South Wales before delivering them to Monmouthshire County Council’s Children’s Services department.
“Contributions come from our generous colleagues and every year it’s grown and grown. This year we were also lucky enough to receive some really generous donations from our external Treasury partners King & Shaxson and Imperial Treasury Services and also from Society non-Exec and Executive Directors, which has enabled us to buy special presents specifically for each child along with a gift bag containing selection boxes, sweets, colouring books and pens .
We have also received support from Quantum Advisory our pension advisers who have been collecting toys for this wonderful cause.
In recent years, our Treasury Manager, Jordan West has lent a helping hand, working hard to communicate with colleagues and liaise with our branches. None of this would happen without him.
The support we give means the world to the children who get special gifts and those who work tirelessly in Children’s Services. The feedback we’ve had is amazing and it means a lot to me and my family to have started this wonderful Christmas tradition.
“It’s a privilege to load my sleigh, the Yellow Peril, every year and drop the presents off to Monmouthshire County Council, knowing that they’ll make a difference to children who otherwise receive very little. These small tokens bring big smiles!
“Christmas is all about giving and I’m really proud to be part of a building society that embraces that.”
