The new locator allows visitors to search for their closest bank by inputting their postcode, town or city into a search box or using the handy WARDRobe map.

A member of the Textile Recycling Association, Ward’s textile recycling operation, WARDRobe, provides a free nationwide textile bank collection service for good quality pre-loved clothing and shoes. Collecting from various locations across the UK, the team works closely with local authorities and organisations to maximise the recovery and reuse of textiles to minimise waste to landfill.

Textile banks are located in prime locations, including household waste recycling centres, office headquarters, school premises and on local council and private land. Sites receive payment for each kilo of textiles collected, which they can donate to charity or put towards local community projects.

WARDRobe also works in close partnership with local charities, including Sharewear, which focuses on reducing clothing poverty.

Clare Harby, Head of Textiles and Waste Brokerage at Ward said: “We are committed to supporting the Circular Economy while positively impacting the communities where we work and our textile banks are a great example of this.

“Through our regular textile collections, we can help others to limit their impact on the environment by minimising the amount of pre-loved clothing that ends up in landfill while supporting charities with regular donations.”

To find the location of your nearest textile bank, visit https://www.ward.com/wardrobe-map/

For more information about arranging a textile bank at your business, place of work or community group, get in touch with WARDRobe via textilebanks@ward.com

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Sharewear offers a free scheme to provide people in economic difficulty with their basic clothing needs, from winter coats, school uniforms and undergarments to shoes, bedding and household textiles. Operating a referral system for individuals and also an outreach service for organisations, the charity has supported around 115,000 people since its launch in 2014.

Ward has committed to placing four textile banks around the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire area to allow Sharewear to collect donations, supporting them in their mission to reduce clothing poverty. These banks will be operated by Sharewear, meaning that one hundred per cent of the textiles collected will be reused through the Sharewear Clothing Scheme. The latest bank, at St Paul’s Church in West Bridgford, joins St Jude’s Church, Woodborough Road, Mapperley, as a destination where members of the public can drop off their clean and dry, pre-loved donations.

WARDRobe has partnered with the charity for several initiatives over the years to raise awareness of and tackle clothing poverty. In 2022, the organisations teamed up to provide a clothing bank at Manchester University where students, staff and the general public could drop off pre-loved clothing that could benefit others in the local community. Together, they have also launched a pilot clothing take-back scheme with national retailer House of Fraser. Ward also works with local councils to ensure pre-loved clothes donated via textile banks are given a new home with those who need them most.

In addition to putting back into the local community, Ward’s partnership with Sharewear supports the firm’s commitment to reducing waste to landfill by encouraging the reuse of clothing that would otherwise have been recycled or discarded.

Founder, CEO and Head of Operations, Louise Cooke: “Clothing poverty is not a matter of having clothes that you want to wear but more about having the basic clothes a person needs to either keep warm, go to work, or attend an interview.

“Our ongoing partnership with Ward allows us to offer people a vital identify and the confidence to live life to the best of their abilities. We know that Ward’s values align perfectly with our own, and we are forever grateful for their support in our mission to make a difference.”

Clare Harby, Head of Textiles and Waste Brokerage at Ward: “Ward is always looking to put back into our community and to make the biggest difference where it is needed most, and our partnership with Sharewear is an excellent example of this.

“There is a huge divide between the ‘fast fashion – throw away’ culture and the growing clothing poverty crisis faced by thousands of people across both our local region and nationally. Hopefully, our ongoing partnership will narrow that gap by reducing the environmental damage caused through waste to landfill while providing quality clothing to those most in need across our local communities.”

Ward has recently updated its website with a new textile bank locator to show those wishing to donate pre-loved clothes the location of their nearest facility. The new locator allows visitors to search for their closest bank by inputting their postcode, town or city into a search box or using the handy WARDRobe map.

For more information visit: www.ward.com/waste/commercial/services/textile-recycling/

For more information on Sharewear, visit https://sharewearclothingscheme.org/

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The popular scheme invites the community to register their preloved Christmas trees for collection in return for a charity donation to support the hospice’s vital work.

During the campaign, Ward processed around 1,100 preloved trees, including 6.28 tonnes collected with their roll-on/offs and an extra 1 tonne brought in by volunteers.

Ward covered the cost of transport and processing at their Ilkeston site, saving over £1,750 for the charity and helping to maximise the benefit of the donations, which totalled an incredible £18,000.

The Christmas trees’ final destination is a biomass facility which uses renewable fuels for energy production.

Kevin Deller, National Construction Waste Manager at Ward, said: “It was great to be involved in the Treecycling campaign again this year, supporting with transport and tree processing at our state-of-the art facility in Ilkeston.

“In addition to raising vital funds for this important charity, it is nice to know that we have played our part in helping the public ensure their preloved Christmas trees are contributing to a more sustainable future.”

Victoria Rocca, Relationships Manager- Key Events at Treetops Hospice, said: “We are so grateful for the support received from all our volunteers and local business, including Ward. We couldn’t do this without them and we had a record number of registrations this year, so had to close the scheme earlier than expected.

“Their generous contribution to the campaign meant we could raise a fantastic amount for the hospice while supporting the public in recycling their unwanted Christmas trees after the festivities.”

For more information on Treetops Hospice, visit: www.treetopshospice.org.uk.

To learn more about Ward’s national waste and recycling services, call 0345 337 0000.

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The award-winning build team created a bespoke children’s counselling and therapy centre for Treetops Hospice with Ward donating skips and wheelie bins to help with waste management.

Every year, the hospice provides over 900 counselling sessions for local children, some as young as 7 years old, who are struggling after the death of a loved one. Currently, all Treetops young people have to access their counselling or support groups in a space originally set up with only adults in mind, with no dedicated child-friendly communal areas or even toilets.

The new Centre will be entirely focused on the children they help, providing a welcome and safe space where they can receive the vital care, support and counselling they need during some of the worst moments of their lives.

The team carried out the work from 11^th to 21^st September and Ward supported by donating wheelie bins and skips to handle the waste management. This included daily servicing, emptying and collection, free of charge.

Treetops Hospice celebrates its 40^th anniversary this year, and BBC Children in Need has supported its children’s services for over 10 years. Over this time, their funding has helped hundreds of bereaved children and families with counselling and emotional support while providing crucial training for staff members.

As a local charity, Ward has been a firm supporter of the hospice over the years, with fundraising initiatives including the annual Christmas ‘Treecycling’ scheme, which is already in planning for this year.

Donald Ward, Operations Director at Ward, said: “When we heard that DIY SOS was coming to Derbyshire, we were more than happy to step in and support them with their waste management needs. We know that getting site waste management right is essential on a construction project as ambitious as this, in a very short timeframe. Having local expertise on hand is invaluable.

“We take great pride in supporting local charities and Treetops has always been extremely close to our hearts. We are looking forward to seeing the completed build unveiled and are pleased that we can play our part in making such an important difference to the lives of young people in the local community.”

The project ‘Big Reveal’, hosted by DIY SOS’s Nick Knowles which will air on BBC One, Thursday 16th November at 9pm, during BBC’s Children in Need coverage.

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Ward Ambassador Dan Egner was the team’s main organiser, arranging a Couch to 5k challenge eight weeks before the race and setting up a Ward Athletes Strava Group and WhatsApp Group to share progress and keep people inspired and motivated.

In addition to generating over £6,600 for cancer research, with Ben Crosby raising over £1000 individually, three Ward athletes were among the top five finishers on the day. Billy Millership came third with an impressive 20 mins 29 seconds, Donald Ward clocked in 20 mins 58 seconds to take fourth spot and Dan Egner took fifth place with a time of 21 mins 30 seconds.

However, the real result is how many Ward Athletes have been bitten by the running bug and are keen to carry on with other runs, including a 10K and half marathons, thanks to Dan’s support.

Having only started his running journey last year, Dan has experienced multiple benefits from the sport, including a staggering 4.5 stone weight loss and improved mental health and fitness, which he wanted to share with his colleagues. Earlier this year, he and Donald Ward completed the London Marathon, and Dan is keen to keep progress his running, having already booked in for the Nottingham Half Marathon in September, another half in Manchester in October and next year’s Manchester Marathon in April.

Dan said: “The positivity and legacy have been the best part for me. We have staff who have never really run before this now taking on more 5ks, a 10k and Half Marathons but also quite a few who are now just running regularly, which is brilliant and great for people’s health and wellbeing. Levy Machon and Ben Crosby have lost two stone during the training to. A fantastic achievement for both.

“People are continuing to use the Strava and WhatsApp group and, hopefully, we can get another group of ‘Athletes’ to join us in the future. We also have an unofficial motto that we close out all our posts within the group ‘We Got This!’ and seeing everyone’s commitment and drive, it couldn’t be truer.”

Donald Ward said: “The teamwork and camaraderie on the day were fantastic, it’s certainly been one of my best days yet and Dan played a huge part in making that happen.

“Beyond the fantastic fundraising pot and notching up another achievement for our Let’s Smash Some Goals! campaign, we’ve introduced a new wave of Ward Athletes to the joys of running and its many benefits – it’s a great result.”

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Seven teams from across the business battled it out for championship glory at Rickmans Corner Community Centre. The line-up included Woodville Warriors, Inter Ya Nan, Transport B, Ward Wanderers, Non-Ferrous Hawkes, Redfox FC and Donald Ward House (DWH), with friends and family members supporting from the sidelines.

In addition to the action on the pitch, spectators young and old were treated to bouncy castle and face painting activities, games and BBQ refreshments, with all proceeds helping to top up the Derbyshire Mind charity pot.

DWH eventually took home the title with a 3-1 victory over Transport B, but the tournament wasn’t without controversy. The semi-final saw Transport B pitted against with Inter Ya Nan (ILK Ferrous) with Michael Jackson on the referee whistle – a divisive decision as he was also an ILK Ferrous player. Transport B was 2-1 up when the watch mysteriously stopped and there were friendly murmurs of foul play on Michael Jackson’s part. However, even with the additional time, Ilk Ferrous could not equalise and Transport B went through to the final.

John Simpkin, Waste Inspector and Ward Ambassador, was the driving force behind the event and was keen to support Mind as the charity partner due to his personal experience of their wonderful work to improve mental health and wellbeing for people across Derby and Derbyshire.

John said: “For me, what was so good was seeing everybody together having a good time where some of the employees playing would never, or very rarely, cross paths in their normal work life.

“I wanted to do this event for Derbyshire Mind as it’s something I feel very strongly about, having struggled with mental health myself in the past. I wanted to do football because exercise can be so beneficial to a person’s mental wellbeing, so I felt that a physical activity came together perfectly with what we were raising money for.

“The ambassadors and other members of Team Ward have worked really hard on this event and without them this would not have been possible, so I am so thankful.”

“Derbyshire Mind is a local charity supporting local people with their mental health and wellbeing. We were so grateful to hear that Ward chose Derbyshire Mind to benefit from their football tournament and family fun day. Not only is it great to hear of the success of the event, but it’s also great to hear that local businesses are raising awareness around mental health and wellbeing in the workplace.  Laura, Fundraising Coordinator at Derbyshire Mind.

Proceeds from the day are still being totted up, but it isn’t too late to donate, just visit the fundraising page. https://www.justgiving.com/page/ward-ambassadors-1688121878719?utm_term=jq68kneNq

For more information on Mind Derbyshire, visit: www.derbyshiremind.org.uk.

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Focusing on positive physical and mental health and supporting social value through fundraising for community groups and local charities, the Pedometer Challenge kicked off 12 months of activity planned throughout the year. The results have highlighted some impressive team and individual performances across the business.

Each participating team member was given a pedometer to record the steps they took during January a dedicated ‘Pedometer Champion’ logging the results on a daily or weekly basis. Each member’s stats then contributed to a collective step total for their team, with the top performers enjoying weekly prizes and treats.

The average number of combined Ward steps for January was 623,440, or a daily average of 5,238, which is impressive considering the participating teams were those in office-based roles.

The Donald Ward House Sales and Purchasing team took the top spot, followed by Clancey’s in York and the Accounts teams stepping into second and third place, respectively. HR/Payroll, Transport and IT followed in fourth, fifth and sixth spots.

The Challenge also highlighted some impressive individual performances with Caroline Young, Export Administrator at Donald Ward House, clocking up over 20,000 steps every day, while Tony Garbett, Artic Driver at Ilkeston, constantly achieved over 80,000 steps every week.

Katie Brown, HR Manager at Ward, said: “We’ve been really impressed by the performances of all the team members involved. We are committed to safeguarding the physical and mental wellbeing of every staff member, and this has been a fun way of encouraging everyone to start the New Year off in a healthy and active way.

“In addition to kicking off our goal-smashing year, we’re hoping to make the Pedometer Challenge a regular fixture in the events calendar so more staff can get involved while enjoying some healthy competition.”

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Donald will be lacing up his running shoes in aid of MacMillan Cancer Support, via the National Federation of Demolition Contractors (NFDC), while Dan is donning his running vest for MS Society. To support them with their fundraising efforts, Ward will match every pound raised by Donald and Dan.

This year’s Marathon takes place on Sunday 23^rd April, and will see around 42,000 take to the 26.2-mile track for various good causes.

Donald said: “Running isn’t something that comes naturally to me, so my journey to the Marathon has been about getting fit enough to take part and reach the finish line. I was inspired by a friend who participated in a previous London Marathon and decided I needed to do my bit for a good cause.

“The NFDC is proud to support several local and national charities through fundraising, and MacMillan Cancer Support is such a worthy one, as affiliate members, they were good enough to give me their charity place. Any money I raise will help fund their vital services and give people affected by cancer the support they need to live a better life.”

Dan said: “My Marathon journey began with a photo, back in 2021 that sparked a desire to get fit and improve my wellbeing, I haven’t looked back since.

“I never dreamt I’d be running in a Marathon but I’ve slowly built up to this point, and am proud to be supporting the MS Society, as they’ve done so much to support my family over the last few years.”

Donald and Dan’s Marathon efforts support Ward’s wider campaign to ‘Smash Some Goals’ year-long campaign which is aiming to raise £60,000 for local charities. The initiative comprises a programme of activities to build the team, boost positivity, improve fitness and wellbeing while supporting some great charitable causes.

To follow Donald’s London Marathon journey and donate, visit: https://2023tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/donald-ward-2517b, and for Dan, visit https://2023tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/daniel-egner.

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The Hedgerow Heroes project supports the CPRE’s national hedgerow campaign and aims to restore hedgerows across the country using traditional hedge laying methods. Volunteers involved in the campaign play an active part in supporting local conservation while improving the wildlife value of the hedge.

At the end of last year, Ward supported its client DCC, who is leading the project, with the purchase of saplings to contribute to the hedge laying activity. In addition, Chris Gibbons, Business Development Executive at Ward, spent a day volunteering at Williamthorpe Nature Reserve, as part Ward’s sustainability Roadmap to 2030, The Ward Way.

Work included cutting back some side growth and upgrowth around the hedge and then actual hedge laying. This involved cutting partly through the upright tree stems, carefully bending them over and weaving them between posts.

All the training and supervision was provided by a specialist team from Groundwork, a federation of charities that supports local environmental initiatives.

Heather Foo, Head of Purchasing (Metals) at Ward, said: “Ward takes its Environmental and Sustainability responsibilities very seriously, so when the opportunity arose to support Derbyshire County Council with the Hedgerow Heroes project, we jumped at the chance.

“WARD hopes to continue to support the Hedgerow Hero volunteering programme throughout 2023. England’s wildlife has been in long-term decline and the Climate Change Committees have called for a 40% increase in hedgerows by 2050 to help tackle the Climate Emergency. Planting and restoring hedgerows is immensely important for biodiversity, connecting habitats, protecting against pollution and fighting climate change. We place great value on working in partnership with our customers, and we’re delighted to be involved.”

For more information about the Hedgerow Heroes campaign, click here.

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Arena Community was established in 2006 as a local response to poverty, isolation, homelessness and unemployment in and around Ilkeston, Derbyshire and Mansfield and Nottinghamshire. Last year, the charity helped over 5,000 people through several initiatives focused on making communities liveable by providing food and practical resources, quality housing via supported accommodation, training, education and rehabilitation. 

The charity was drastically impacted by the Covid pandemic, with its shops shut and more members of the community than ever reliant on its vital support. This led to the launch of the Let’s Do This’ campaign, which aims to tackle a £60,000 shortfall in running costs by encouraging local businesses and the public to commit to monthly donations.

The awards ceremony, which took place at Arena’s The Project in Ilkeston, was held to celebrate, honour and thank all the organisations and individuals who had stepped up to support fundraising efforts to date and also to raise awareness of the existing need for ongoing support to continue its essential work in the community. 

Following an inspirational address from Kristian Thorpe, Leader Pastor and Founder of Arena Community and passionate speeches from the head of the local school and community workers from Age UK and other support organisations, Arena presented it first ever awards. 

In recognition of the firm’s support of the charity and its endeavours, Ward was awarded two honours. 

Dennis Bell, Commercial Director at Ward, was recognised with an Individual Contribution award while Ward was honoured with the Business Contribution award, collected by family member, Karen Ward, for its decade-long support of the charity. 

In addition to making monthly donations to the food bank, personally from Dennis, during its ten years of backing, Ward has helped to fund a new minibus and contributed to the sensory garden development project, amongst other important initiatives.

Dennis said:

“We are a family firm and have strong family values. To be able to help people in a vulnerable position is doing something positive for the community and we will continue to support them in any way we can.”

Lisa Harrison, Head of Arena Community, received an Outstanding Service award for her huge contribution to the charity. Having experienced many of the challenges facing the local community herself, Lisa has become an invaluable member of the organisation. As well as running the repair shop, overseeing employment schemes and project managing the major refurbishment of the Project store in Ilkeston, Lisa has also helped to generate revenue through the charity’s shops and cafes. 

Kristian Thorpe, Leader Pastor and Founder of Arena Community, said:

“Everybody is somebody at Arena. We place value on every person and will always seek to strengthen, support, hold, help and lift people up. 

The celebration event and awards was a way of us saying thank you to the people and organisations that help us to reach our goals through their generosity of funds, time, support and compassion.”

For more information on how you can get involved in supporting the vital work of the Arena Community, visit www.arenacommunity.co.uk/giving/

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