Charity support
A truly local business
An insight into the relationships that make Howdens Joinery a part of local life all around Great Britain
Howdens is a local business. We run local customer accounts, not national ones; employees are engaged locally and our trade account holders rely on our products and services to ensure the growth and prosperity of their own local businesses.
As a locally driven business, we encourage staff at each of our sites to support and engage with local community activities. They have been responsible for over 3,700 donations to local good causes, amounting to £1.5 million - supporting schools, village halls, care homes, hospices, sports clubs, youth groups and many other community activities.
We are proud of the fact that our staff, our customers and all our stakeholders take such an active part in giving something back to their local communities.
A Truly Local Business is the eighteenth addition to our series of Truly Local books, giving you an insight into the relationships that make Howdens Joinery a part of local life all around Great Britain.
2017
February 2017
A kitchen that offers independence
Corporal Phil Eaglesham was on the last day of a six-month deployment in Afghanistan with Royal Marines 40 Commando when he became ill...
2016
December 2016
Building the first of its kind
One cause which received heartfelt support from their local depot was the building of the Alexander Devine Children's Hospice in Berkshire...
November 2016
Communal care
Just minutes away from the beautiful landscapes and wildlife of the Peak District and its national park, is Mickley Hall, run by Howdens charitable partner, Leonard Cheshire Disability...
Croxley Christmas Crackers
Two energetic employees from Howdens’ Croxley office decided to take up the challenge of running the Croxley Park 10k Christmas Cracker, in aid of local homeless charity New Hope Trust...
Donation drop-off centre
Loaves and Fishes are a local Stockport charity that supports homeless and disadvantaged people from the surrounding area...
Old friends join together
One of Phil’s teammates at the 2016 Paralympic games in Rio was Luke Reeson. In 2012, Luke was leading a group of 20 soldiers securing a helicopter landing site in Helmand when they came under heavy fire...
October 2016
Special effort for Little Havens
Howdens employees often get involved and fundraise for charities throughout the year, however the company are challenged to put in a special effort druing the busiest trading month...
Shopping trollies, sleeping bags and sleepy eyes
A group of employees from Howdens Rochdale depot were keen to find a local charity for their 2016 fundraising event...
New homes for homecoming heroes
Haig Housing Trust, Walking With the Wounded and Manchester City Council worked together with BBC DIY SOS: The Big Build last year to provide the housing for Armed Forces veterans in Manchester...
Vintage fun
Howdens’ Biggin Hill started a long standing fundraising journey with Chartwell Cancer Trust when it first opened its doors in July 2012...
September 2016
Cycling for Autism Awareness UK
After taking up cycling, two members of the Howdens' St Ives depot decided to take on a bigger cycling challenge to support Autism Awareness UK...
August 2016
Kitting kids out for success
A smart new kit has made a huge difference to the Northwood FC U8’s...
Big scary waves
Volunteers are essential for the efficient running of a RNLI Lifeboat Station...
Supporting local budding chefs in the kitchen
People at Howdens like to encourage many types of education – whether in schools, colleges or local projects...
Rush Dance has the winning edge
A local dance group were delighted when Thurso depot manager, Kevin Cowie decided to make a donation to support their competition bid at the 2016 United Dance Organisation World Street dance championships...
Cooking for Success
Situated in the heart of Westminster, the Beachcroft Academy supports children who have experienced learning and behaviour difficulties in mainstream primary and secondary schools...
It’s a Knockout
Employees from Howdens Selby and York depots teamed up to compete in the annual St Leonard’s Hospice ‘It’s a Knockout’ tournament...
July 2016
A big difference for a local cause
Another community facility to benefit from support from Howdens is the Baglan Boys and Girls Club...
May 2016
Football fever
Donations from Howdens often help young and old alike, however a conscious decision was made by Howdens’ Boston depot to support and engage with local youth activities and sports...
Community boxing club gets a makeover
The roof of the Gilfach Goch Amateur Boxing Club had been severely damaged after storms hit South Wales during the winter of 2014...
April 2016
Preserving history
Situated on the eastern side of Hayling Island, the RNLI Lifeboat Station provides emergency cover for one of Britain’s busiest shipping routes...
Taking on Yorkshire’s peaks for charity
Andy Pritchard, Assistant Manager of the Howden Joinery Whitchurch Depot completed the Yorkshire 3 Peaks Challenge in aid of the Midland Air Ambulance...
Going to great lengths for charity
Rob Nicolaou, transport manager at Howdens, was keen to help the charity, Blind Children UK, due to his sister’s ongoing battle with a degenerative eye condition...
2015
November 2015
A big difference in the Big Apple
David Collins, from the Howdens Dunfermline depot, ran the New York marathon to help mental health sufferers on their own road to recovery...
October 2015
Strictly depot dancing
Jason Hill has been the depot manager of Howdens in Kettering for ten years, but he recently decided to leap from depot to dance floor, to raise money for Lakelands Hospice...
Taking the heat for women's charities
Women V Cancer supports three women’s charities: Breast Cancer Care, Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust and Ovarian Cancer Action...
Surviving the Bear Grylls challenge
Allen Gibson from our Gillingham depot was keen to support Sparks - a children's medical charity raising money to support pioneering work...
August 2015
Summer safari
David Harper, Howdens’ area manager, wanted to do something worthwhile and different with the money his area had been awarded through an internal incentive scheme...
July 2015
A purr-fect partnership
A local Howdens account holder and Binley depot donate time and money to Coventry Cat Group...
June 2015
Wheels of fortune
When a team from the Howdens Wrexham depot mounted their bikes, two charities were set to gain significant extra funding...
Hitting the fairways to help firefighers hit the road
Howdens Grimsby depot organise a charity golf day to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support...
May 2015
Karen's fundraising journey
St Wilfrid’s Hospice in Chichester is close to the heart of Karen Etherington, who works at the Howdens Bognor Regis depot as a kitchen designer...
Support for Dundee's young joiners
The company also supports causes more closely related to its business - like training a new generation of joiners...
Support for budding football stars
As well as one-off donations, Howdens likes to get involved with longer-term support for sporting activities...
February 2015
Challenge of a lifetime
When we think of spending a fortnight in the Caribbean, we probably imagine lounging on a beautiful beach and taking a well-earned rest...
Helping to provide support
Amy's House in Sheffield offers much-needed support to its local community, as a respite centre for families of children with special needs...
Rebuilding a local initiative
Many of us will remember when Manchester Dogs Home hit the national headlines in September 2014, after an arson attack...
January 2015
Helping to make a house a home
Howdens Bromborough depot have been working with one of the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) houses, improving the facilities to make residents feel at home...
Building a good deal
In Barrow-in-Furness, the Apex Unit looks after adults with Down's Syndrome. When it needed a new kitchen, its staff approached local businesses in search of a good deal...
Supporting our emergency services
Many local emergency services rely on charitable donations, and this is one of the areas Howdens is always keen to support...
2014
November 2014
Evening of events for Epilepsy Action
Alan Smith, business developer at the Howdens Hartlepool depot, raised £800 by taking part in a charity boxing match...
October 2014
Spare change for real change
Helping the homeless is very important to Howdens, and there are certain times of year when fundraising for them can be particularly effective...
September 2014
New kit for local football team
A women's football team in Stamford approached their local Howdens depot in the hope of finding some sponsorship...
July 2014
Challenging the norm for charity
Employees from Howdens' Product & Marketing team got involved in a less traditional way of fundraising by getting stuck into a variety of activities on their annual office 'away day'...
Teaming up for Race for Life
Cancer Research UK works towards detection and prevention. One of its most popular fund-raising initiatives is the Race for Life, where a team from different Howdens depots take part...
Supporting a riding centre
Sometimes all it takes is a friendly conversation with a Howdens customer...
Group effort for Marie Curie Power Peloton
In July 2014, three Howdens' employees joined the Marie Curie Power Peloton to cycle stage 1 of the Tour de France route in Yorkshire, crossing the finish line just a few hours ahead of the professional teams...
June 2014
Supporting a 60 year old scout group
A little over 12 miles south of Bolton is Irlam, home to 1st Cadishead, one of the country's oldest surviving scout groups...
Education and conservation
One of Bristol's most famous attractions is its historic zoo, which is a popular destination for families and school trips...
Helping to rebuild independence
Offering practical and logistical support to the Marylebone Project in London...
Worthy endurance challenge
An especially demanding event received sponsorship from the Howdens Burton-upon-Trent depot: an endurance ride in Cyprus by a local Army Reserve unit...
The sky's the limit for a worthy cause
Not one for the faint-hearted, Andy Craig, Assistant Manager at the Howdens Fenton depot in Staffordshire, completed a skydive for Donna Louise Children's Hospice...
May 2014
Helping transform a mobile source of food
Some community support is best delivered on the move...
April 2014
Supporting important community initiatives
With so many sports being played at so many different levels, it's sometimes hard to know which local activities are in the most urgent need of support...
Repaying the kindness
Joanne Illsley, of the Lichfield depot, wanted to repay the kindness and support of a local centre who help those suffering with cancer...
Rocking New Kits
The Rock Rovers have enjoyed Howdens' sponsorship, courtesy of the Shrewsbury depot...
March 2014
New kitchen for the local church
The church hall at St. John's in Burscough, Lancashire benefited from new kitchen facilities...
February 2014
Sponsoring sporting achievement
How do you swim the length of the English Channel in the space of one pool? By swimming 1,770 lengths!
Enhancing vital care facilities
In Northamptonshire, the Corby depot continued its support for the local Lakelands Hospice...
Supporting social safety
The Christchurch depot donated materials to The Streetwise Safety Centre...
2013
August 2013
Lending a hand for early learning
When it comes to education, the early years can be the most important - which is why Howdens always tries to lend a hand...
2012
November 2012
Venturing further afield
Richard Channer, a customer at the Howdens' Mansfield depot, has twice visited Kenya to help the Nasio Trust...
September 2012
Taking part in the Great North Run
Two designers from the Burton upon Trent depot have very close personal connections with their chosen charity...
August 2012
A huge day out
Howdens' employees support a wide variety of worthwhile causes up and down the country; one cause in 2012 was the 'Huge Day Out'...
Dressed to impress
Howdens' staff get involved in a broad range of sports, arranging donations and sponsorship for local teams...
Nurturing musical talent
The Coalburn IOR pipe band, based near Glasgow, has a long tradition of nurturing musical talent...
Getting stuck in for a local charity
Community work is all about rolling your sleeves up and getting stuck in...
July 2012
Daring endeavours for The Food Chain Charity
Fundraising at Howdens often involves some daring endeavours. Colin O'Connor, an accountant at the Portman Square office completed the Iron Man challenge in Zurich in July 2012...
Parachute jump for Rays of Sunshine
Kieran Beveridge, of Howdens in Musselburgh, Scotland, braved a parachute jump in support of Rays of Sunshine...
A force to be reckoned with
A smart new kit has made a great difference to amateur netball team, Leeds Storm...
Improving educational activities
In some nurseries, the kitchen is more than a place to prepare food and drink - it's central to educational activities...
June 2012
Solstice walk for local hospice
In Lichfield, the St.Giles Hospice has close links with the local Howdens' depot, where many employees and account holders have benefited from the care it provides - and many have made donations...
140 miles for Asthma UK
As well as working hard in their day jobs, Howdens' staff put a lot of time and energy into fundraising and volunteering for charity...
Taking to the skies
Lee Smith, a designer at Howdens in Huntingdon, took to the skies for a good cause...
Encouraging cookery classes
People at Howdens like to encourage many types of education - whether it's in schools, colleges or local projects...
Updating a popular meeting place
As a local business, Howdens takes great interest in the communities around each depot. Its employees and customers get involved with a range of worthwhile causes in a variety of ways...
Helping to preserve history
Preserving history is a worthwhile and fascinating aspect of Howdens' community involvement...
May 2012
Supporting rising rugby stars
Another sport attracting support from Howdens is rugby...
Learning from experience
Giving youngsters the benefit of Howdens' experience is a central part of the company's educational support...
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