Charities

PRE-LOCKDOWN PLANS PAY OFF

Making minimal changes to the business model and being prepared before the COVID-19 lockdown has helped Utility Alliance continue to perform well during the pandemic – and hit its revised targets

A Sheffield-based energy consultancy has continued to perform well throughout the COVID-19 pandemic after opting to make minimal changes to its business model during the crisis.

While many businesses opted to pull down the shutters when lockdown was announced in March, Utility Alliance had taken note of the speculation about the impact the virus could have pre-lockdown and those plans were quickly put into place as soon as the Government advice was issued.

The company, which is based on Bold Street and also has a headquarters in Hartlepool and an additional office in Newcastle, is predominantly a B2B specialist with the vast majority of its 400-strong workforce working through a database of outbound calls.

An emergency plan was put in place to allow a mixture of sales and support staff to work from home, and the company was delighted to hit its revised target at the end of the first full month in lockdown.

Daniel Potter MD of Utility Alliance Yorkshire, said: “These are unprecedented times for everyone, but the fact we have continued to perform well as a business is testament to the plans we put in place before lockdown.

“The business model has remained the same, there haven’t been any dramatic changes to the way we operate other than the fact we are contacting a large proportion of customers – both new and existing – while they themselves are working from home.

“We are a target-driven operation, and while that figure was reduced to a realistic level to take into account the change in working condition we are delighted with the performance over the last few weeks.

“Like everyone else, we look forward to the day when we can all return to the office and get back to normal everyday life. But in the meantime, we will continue to try and generate new business as well as looking after our existing staff.”

Utility Alliance trades and monitors energy with a unique approach to flexible contracts.

What we have found is business owners we speak to are using this period of uncertainty to take a closer look at their energy spend and consumption.

Specialist monitoring tools help to reduce energy waste and also increase awareness of energy responsibility for businesses of all sizes.

Daniel added: “What we have found is business owners we speak to are using this period of uncertainty to take a closer look at their energy spend and consumption.

“They have more time away from the day-to-day running of their company and if we can make a change to their bottom line for when we come out of this lockdown then it can only be a positive.”

For more information about Utility Alliance, visit www.utility-alliance.com or call 0114 478 0956.

HALF MARATHON IN CORONAVIRUS CRISIS CHARITY RALLYING CALL

The Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon is urging people to support the event’s two charity partners ‘in any way possible’ after launching a #FiveForFive fundraising and awareness campaign.

The #FiveForFive challenge encourages people to cover a distance relating to the number five in some form, before donating a minimum of £5 to Ashgate or Bluebell Wood and nominating five others to do the same via social media.

John Timms, Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon event director, said: “The Redbrik Half Marathon’s primary focus is supporting the local community, including Ashgate Hospicecare and Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice.

“Supporting fantastic causes at this time – while staying healthy, within the Government’s current social distancing guidelines – is vital, especially those which support frontline workers and the most vulnerable people.”

Mark Ross, managing director of event headline sponsor Redbrik, said: “At Redbrik, we want to do as much as we can to give back to the local community. This desire is the essence of the Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon.

“Given the COVID-19 pandemic, and the attention understandably focused on healthcare frontlines, we need to ensure that Ashgate and Bluebell Wood receive more support than ever, in terms of both awareness and funding, so their vital work can continue.”

Health and wellbeing charity Sheffield City Trust has donated food supplies to Sharrow Community Forum’s foodbank.

It follows the Trust’s recent donations to food banks across the city at the start of the lockdown, and the charity’s generous donation of £4,000 to Voluntary Action Sheffield.

Sheffield City Trust chief executive, Andrew Snelling, said: “We’re delighted that, in the face of a national crisis, we’re still able to make a big difference.

“This is just one example of the many things we do to support the city and I always feel proud of the impact that we have in Sheffield. We’re a charity run by Sheffielders for Sheffielders and we will continue to look for ways we can make a difference to the city.”

As well as offering their support to foodbanks, the charity has been working closely with both the council and NHS – donating over 7,000 items of PPE and nine defibrillators to local hospitals. In addition to this, the car park at the FlyDSA Arena Sheffield is being used as a blood testing site for non-Covid patients.

Sheffield City Trust manage a number venues across the city, including the FlyDSA Arena and Ponds Forge International Sports Centre. SHEFFIELD CITY TRUST DONATES TO SHARROW FOODBANK

JORDAN COATES, SCHOOL ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR, SHARROW COMMUNITY FORUM’S FOODBANK

EAT FOR C E L E B R A T I N G A B I R T H D A Y

DURING LOCKDOWN?

WHEN WE REOPEN!

W H E N D I N I N G I N A P A R T Y O F 4 OR MORE IN THE RESTAURANT

We are currently taking online bookings for up to 30 people with deposits not required until we are open for business as usual *

NAPOLEONS CASINO & RESTAURANT 17 LIVESEY STREET, SHEFFIELD, S6 2BL 0114 285 5566 SHEFFIELD@NAPOLEONS-CASINOS.CO.UK