The Billington Group has a longstanding commitment to supporting charities in the UK. Previously, each subsidiary within the group selected a charity annually, conducting various fundraising activities such as bake sales, raffles, and charity races. Seeking to enhance their impact, the Group decided to consolidate their efforts and align with Buttle UK in 2019, focusing on improving the lives of children and young people.
In the same year, recognizing the need to empower young people, the decision was made to establish an independent charity. This new foundation aimed to develop essential skills, improve well-being, and create pathways to education and employability.
The Billington Group has a history of corporate donations, complemented by employee fundraising. A significant commitment was made to the newly formed Billington Foundation, with an annual donation of £100,000 or 1% of profits exceeding £100,000.
In 2022, the Foundation took a significant step by appointing an experienced foundation manager. The goal was to lead the charity, develop effective programs, and establish sustainable initiatives to support young people facing challenges in school.
Over the past nine months, the Foundation has been laying the groundwork for pilot programs scheduled to commence in January 2024. The focus is on interventions that elevate aspiration, self-belief, and resilience, aiming to re-engage young people with education while building confidence and work readiness.
The Foundation is dedicated to collaborating with partners to create interventions, activities, and resources that dismantle barriers to learning and employment. The overarching goal is to enhance educational attainment, employability, social mobility, and reduce inequality.
Through partnerships with organisations, the Foundation seeks to provide real-life experiences, practical assistance, and work opportunities. A key emphasis is on improving essential skills, utilising the Skillsbuilder framework. The aim is to raise aspirations and provide a comprehensive understanding of employer and further education expectations, empowering young people to make informed decisions about their careers and education.
The Foundation recognises the transformative power of essential skills with particular value seen in listening, presenting and positive thinking, resilience, problem solving, enhanced creativity, aiming high and developing aspiration, leadership and teambuilding skills. Not only does developing these skills impact academic outcomes but they also play a crucial role in boosting perseverance, self-belief, well-being, and life satisfaction. The Foundation’s commitment extends to working with secondary schools to improve these skills, particularly focusing on groups of disadvantaged young people.
The Billington Foundation was officially launched at a gala dinner at the Liverpool Cathedral in 2019. The event hosted 400 guests, including partners, family, friends, and employees from various businesses within the Group. The launch event, hosted by Marcus Brigstock and featuring surprise entertainment from Tony Hadley, marked a significant milestone in the journey of the Group and the newly established charity.
