Local charity upgrades IT facilities to support its members, following donation from Allison Homes

The donation forms part of Allison Homes’ newly formed Partnerships division, which is dedicated to providing affordable homes made available for sale or rent.

A cheque was recently presented to the charity as part of the housebuilder’s ongoing commitment to supporting the community of its latest Partnership development.

The Mays Place development, on Manning Road in Bourne, will deliver 121 affordable new homes created in partnership with housing provider Longhurst Group.

As part of its Partnerships Charity Pledge, Allison Group has committed to donating £100 for every new home contracted through a partnership scheme, to a local charity. Toolbar is one of three chosen Bourne-based charities marking this new development.

Toolbar relies on grants and donations in order to support unemployed adults from the local community with their job searches. The donation has been put towards a much-needed upgrade to laptop software, enabling members to carry out essential job hunting, research, applications and interview preparation.

John Anderson, CEO of Allison Group said: “We want to develop meaningful links with the communities that we build in, so it’s a privilege to be able to support Toolbar with this donation."

He continued: "It is a vital and inspiring organisation, that means a lot to the community of Bourne. The very essence of partnerships is about working together, so we’re proud to not only donate funds, but to also raise awareness of the services and support provided by Toolbar.”

The charity brings together local unemployed people of all ages who are looking for work and ready to enter the workforce. Job seekers are able to help and encourage each other to find work. Toolbar provides a range of free facilities and services to help participants find employment. Volunteer staff provide guidance and support in developing job seeking skills, with the resources needed for an intensive search for work.

Christine Steele, Longhurst Group’s Head of Development shared John's sentiment, adding: “One of our strategic aims is to build and maintain great partnerships that help all aspects of our communities to thrive. Toolbar is a wonderful charity and we’re very proud to have worked with Allison Homes to identify them for the charity pledge.”

Roy McKinney, of Toolbar Charity said:

“We are very grateful to Allison Homes for this donation. It has allowed us to upgrade the software on our eight laptops – which are a vital tool for our job seeking community. A decent laptop with up-to-date software is essential for creating CV’s, application letters, as well as researching job sectors, interview skills, career planning, self-employment and Universal Credit applications.

“The donation will also contribute towards the running cost of our ‘Jobs Fair’ being held at the Bourne Corn Exchange on 19th March 2024. It will be a wonderful event, held in conjunction with the Stamford Job Centre and involvement from local employers. Without the additional financial support of Allison Homes, this event would be unlikely to happen.”

For more information on Toolbar, visit www.toolbar-bourne.org or via Facebook @ToolbarBourne