The season of goodwill
With a difficult winter and festive period ahead for many, it’s been encouraging this week to hear of some charity-related activity in the metal packaging world.
Firstly, the CarnaudMetalbox Engineering Charity Committee and staff has, for another year running, donated toys to help The Rotary Club of Shipley in its annual Toy Collection for local disadvantaged children at Christmas.
The initiative relies on donations from local businesses and residents to provide children from more deprived backgrounds with a Christmas present.
With new figures recently released showing 3.6 million children are still living in poverty in the UK, this is only set to worsen during the current cost of living crisis. This year, CMbE employees achieved peak generosity with a record number of gifts donated over the last few weeks. “We know that money can be tight at this time of year, but it’s reassuring to know that colleagues are more than willing to spare a thought for a worthwhile cause,” said the company.
Secondly, Novelis has announced a total donation commitment of $10 million over five years to help the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta charity reach its $1 billion goal for its Never Settle: A Campaign for Kids. The effort is the largest fundraising campaign in the history of Children’s and will complement a $2.4 billion investment the healthcare system made to expand its capacity to provide pediatric healthcare and improve access for generations of children over the next 100 years.
The centerpiece of the campaign is Arthur M Blank Hospital, a 1.5 million-square-foot facility that is scheduled to open in autumn 2024. It will include one tower with two patient wings and additional operating rooms, speciality beds and diagnostic equipment to meet anticipated patient needs. Arthur M Blank Hospital will greatly expand the System’s conference and simulation space to help more than 600 fellows and residents contribute to groundbreaking work.
Companies can spend so much time speaking about safeguarding the future for the next generation, so to see it put into action through charity initiatives and supporting local communities is incredibly important.
We’ve all got to do our bit, no matter how big or small. I’ve been gathering some warm winter clothes to give to charity so will be off to do that soon.
Also, to save myself some money I beat my defeatist attitude when it comes to crafts by making my own Christmas wreath for the first time (thanks to my mother for the help…) – I’ve added a photo above to spread some early festive cheer!
- Alex Rivers (she/her), CanTech International editor
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