Sandra Craven and Sobia Butt from Bradford-based social enterprise business, Action for Business Limited (ABL), have just handed over a total of £2350 to two excellent local projects: children’s cancer charity, Little Heroes and ABL’S own Bradford Doulas.
Sandra is Finance Manager and Sobia is Accounts Assistant at ABL, which owns and manages the Carlisle Business Centre in Manningham. “Last year we decided to produce a 2012 calendar that we’d sell to friends, family and local businesses,” says Sandra. “Each page in the calendar has a drawing or piece of art produced by one of the children who is being supported by ‘Little Heroes’.”
They approached various local businesses and organisations and asked if they’d be prepared to sponsor a page in the calendar. To their delight 11 of their targets offered support and one, The Horton Print Group, agreed to print the calendar for free. As a result, Sandra and Sobia raised the impressive total of £2350, which is being split between the two organisations.
Little Heroes helps families with children suffering from cancer. They visit children undergoing treatment in hospital and provide toys for them to play with. The charity also offers financial assistance to parents whose 24-hour care and support for their children means they often have to adjust their working lives or in some instances give up work altogether.
The Bradford Doulas project was launched last year. It provides both pre-natal and post-natal emotional and physical support for expectant mothers through a team of trained and experienced women volunteers. The project now has 12 volunteers.
“Even though times are tough, it’s heartening to see how generous local businesses can be,” says Sandra. “We particularly wanted to help ‘Little Heroes’ because this is a small local charity whose work means so much to the children suffering from cancer, and their parents. Equally important is our Bradford Doulas Project. It receives no public funding but is already playing an essential role, helping 30 isolated and vulnerable expectant mums in the Bradford area.”
Colin Nesbitt, director of ‘Little Heroes’ added: “Our aim is to improve the lives of children undergoing cancer treatment. If we can put a smile on their face and help them forget, even for a moment, then it’s all worth it. This donation from the Bradford business community generated by Sandra and Sobia will be well used. It’s certainly made me smile!”
