More than 200 trainees from Bentley Motors are leading a major Crewe charity drive, working together with four aid organisations to extend their valued support to the local community.

The trainees; Bentley graduates, industrial placement students and apprentices will be working with Climb, Cheshire Wildlife Trust, Crewe Christian Concern and Crewe YMCA, volunteering their time to support the charities. Involvement will range from strategy development and business planning to manual work.

Kate Forster, a Bentley graduate who will be supporting the charity project, commented: “As trainees we all form a strong bond, and as many of us are from the local area, we wanted to give something back to the community. We can’t wait to get started and not only help the charities themselves, but the many people they support.”

Throughout June and July, the trainees will be divided between the four charities, carrying out different functions at each.

At Climb (Children Living with Inherited Metabolic Diseases) the trainees will be working on a charity support and communications strategy, helping to raise awareness on a national scale, focusing on a promotional plan, including social media strategies.

Attention will turn to more physically demanding activities when the trainees visit Delamere Forest to help conserve the woodland, marsh and felled area to support Cheshire Wildlife Trust, which looks to safeguard areas of national interest and protection.

The third charity benefitting from support is Crewe Christian Concern whose aim is to bring hope, confidence, dignity and opportunity to local residents. Trainees will be helping with event support, raising awareness and building a bike shed for a new bike scheme the charity has launched, where people are encouraged to donate unused bicycles. Construction support will come from Fairway Decorating Services, Greenoaks, JMC Building & Civil Contractors and Resin Coating Specialists.
Finally, the focus turns to Bentley on the final project with the YMCA, with trainees sharing with the charity their insight of how separate Bentley functions work together to drive the business forward. This will give young people the charity supports helpful guidance on getting back into education or work.

Summing up, Marlies Rogait, Bentley Member of the Board for Human Resources, said: “We provide our trainees with the knowledge and skills to become our future professionals and experts. This doesn’t just stop with working in the business, but helping them grow as individuals. Playing their part in the local community certainly does this and as a business, we are happy to support such worthwhile local causes.”

Bentley has 205 trainees working across all functions including Manufacturing, Engineering, Sales and Marketing, Finance, Human Resources, Logistics and Communications. Over the past 10 years, Bentley has donated over £500,000 to local and national charities.