Sussex Angels – Covid-19 Recovery Initiative

Richard Place Dobson (RPD), Crawley-based Chartered Accountants and Business Advisors are pleased to introduce the RPD Foundation, a Charity created by RPD.

The RPD Foundation, an extension of RPD’s long-standing work in the community,  aims to advise and support charities and not for profit organisations with financial know-how, strategy, governance, and controls. The Foundation also helps with choosing suitable operating models for business development and fundraising.

With a focus on promoting Corporate Social Responsibility, the Foundation advises individuals and organisations on charitable giving and support and helps encourage employees to participate in skills-based voluntary work.

As the real impact of Covid-19 starts to hit home, not least as business support schemes come to an end and with the knock-on effects to individuals and communities, various organisations are trying to pick up the pieces and there are those wanting to help. The Foundation has been working with several partners, including Gatwick Diamond Business, developing a coordinated, supportive, and collaborative response to the impact of Covid-19 on employment across the region.

Matthew Tyson, Managing Director, RPD said:

“A lasting impact of Covid has been the number of people that want or need help, and so many organisations are prepared to give it. The problem is making sure they can find each other with all the “noise” about. This project will be so valuable to so many.”

Daran Bennett, CEO, RPD Foundation said:

“We are pleased to have engaged so many key partners from a number of sectors who recognise the gaps we are looking to bridge from the not-for-profit, commercial and voluntary sectors, which begins in earnest with the C-19 recovery initiative to help individuals to open new doors for the future”.

Supported by The Bolinti Trust and The Ernest Kleinwort Charitable Trust, The “Sussex Angels” project, driven by The Foundation, has developed a website that brings solutions and opportunities together, working with partners and signposting those that need support and are looking for opportunities to organisations that can provide them. Partnerships established will maximise exposure and profile to help as many people as possible. ‍

Anthony Bolton, Chair of The Boltini Trust said:

"A huge challenge facing Sussex will be the large number of people who have or will lose their jobs as a result of the pandemic. We hope the RPD Foundation will be able to help a number of these find new outlets for their skills and The Boltini Trust is delighted to help them achieve this."

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A growing army of volunteer mentors, our “Angels”, will support individuals on re-imaging their future, be that employment, enterprise, charity work, or entrepreneurship, and how to apply existing skills and or retraining for a brighter future.  

Steve Sawyer, Executive Director at Manor Royal BID said:

“Crawley is expected to be badly affected by COVID than most. This is absolutely the best time for different sections of the community to come together and find ways to help one another by pooling the combined talent, skills, expertise, and energy available on our doorstep.”

The initiative is constantly looking for more partners, opportunities, and volunteers to support those in need, be that organisations and businesses as part of their own CSR aims or individuals wishing to find a way of helping.

Jeff Alexander, Chief Executive gdb said:

“We are very pleased to be supporting the RPD Foundation and the contribution it is making to our charities’ sector at a time when it is needed more than ever before.  At gdb, we are proud to have RPD as a long-standing member and active supporter of the Gatwick Diamond business community. The Foundation is an excellent extension of the contribution the company already makes including through its leadership of the gdb Charities Group.”

Darren Harding, Chair, RPD Foundation said:

“The Foundation has only recently been formed but what better way for it to get to work on achieving its objects by housing a project that brings together the key organisations in the area to provide the best possible opportunity to help those in need during these challenging times. The effects of Covid-19 on all of us will not go away in a hurry so this project is here to stay to help all those that need it.”

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