Building product companies support cancer charities

Saint-Gobain has announced that its new 2014/2015 charity partners in the UK and Ireland will be Macmillan Cancer Support and the Irish Cancer Society. At the same time, Fakro Roof Windows has announced that over then next three years every one of its roof windows sold in Ireland will result in a donation to the Irish Cancer Society.

Macmillan Cancer Support and the Irish Cancer Society provide emotional, medical, financial and practical support to people affected by cancer in the UK and Ireland respectively.

.For the first time, all 16,700 Saint-Gobain employees across 30 brands in the UK and Ireland were invited to have their say on which charities they’d like to support over the next two years by taking part in an online vote, in which the two cancer support charities emerged the clear favourites.

The building distribution arm of Saint-Gobain in the UK & Ireland, which includes brands such as Jewson, Graham and Minster, developed its ‘together’ charity programme in 2002. Since then, it has worked with its customers and suppliers to raise over £2 million for charities including Help the Hospices, The British Heart Foundation and most recently Barnardo’s.

Peter Hindle, general delegate for Saint-Gobain UK and Ireland said: “This is the first time we’ve expanded the programme out across all Saint-Gobain businesses in the UK and Ireland and we have a real opportunity to make a big difference to the lives of people affected by cancer.  Many people are affected by cancer and this was reflected in the voting result."

“The previous work we’ve done with charities through the ‘together’ programme has demonstrated the drive and commitment our colleagues, customers and suppliers have to work together to make a difference. We’re obviously keen to raise as much as we possibly can but we’re also looking forward to rolling up our sleeves and utilising our building and manufacturing expertise at local volunteering projects.”

Speaking about Fakro's partnership with the Irish Cancer Society, Dermot Foster of the company's Irish distributor Tradecraft Building Products said: “The partnership between Fakro Roof Windows and the Irish Cancer Society is an exciting initiative and everyone connected with Fakro is proud to be involved."