Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

I decided to do something to give back through lockdown, selfishly to get me out of my little office and an attempt to be a bit fitter in lockdown 2.0 rather than moping over a beer. For those that know me I have been working back from a major hip injury over the last year, so the obvious thing for me to do was get back to my running routes and test myself to get some miles back in - 150km in total, Bit stupid some might say, motivational I think!!

I am raising money for Smartworks Reading, A charity I am growing a relationship with through my work at Microsoft. They are a Charity in Reading that support women back into the workplace that are struggling to land a job. This is going to be critical when we get back from this mess, not only to get the economy moving but also to help get people back on track. Through my role as a male ally at Microsoft, I am passionate about helping women gain the same oppotunities as men, I see the benefit of a diverse every day in my team and workplace, but we haven't done enough yet to bring equality. Please see below the work that Smartworks are doing, and if you can provide some support to this charity to help women get back on their own two feet that would be awesome. I know there are a lot of charity requests about through this, but believe me every little helps, and with Microsoft matching, the more you give, the more they have to give :-)

More About Smartworks: 

https://smartworks.org.uk/reading-smart-works/

Smart Works Reading helps anyone who identifies as a woman from the Thames Valley into work. We are special in that we support women overcome both physical and psychological barriers to secure employment, and we are unique in the Thames Valley in providing this free service. 

Our core offer is simple and effective. Our clients are given an interview-ready outfit that is theirs to keep during a dressing consultation, and we also offer a 1-2-1 tailored coaching sessions with an HR professional to help our clients excel at interview. The whole process takes 2 hours, and last year 69% of our clients went on to get the job.

We support women from throughout the Thames Valley who are referred on to us by job centres, schools and colleges, social care agencies and other charities. Our clients come from many different backgrounds, and include carers, lone parents, people with disabilities, students, the long-term unemployed, and ex-offenders.  

Our clients also come from groups that have been at high risk of contracting Covid-19, including women from BAME backgrounds, with pre-existing health conditions and those living in poverty. We anticipate an increase in demand from new clients who may have lost their jobs, been bereaved or suffered illness during the pandemic.

We have proved that our service can be delivered remotely, as face-to-face appointments, or as a combination of both depending on the current rapidly changing situation.  We believe that this demonstrates our resilience, sustainability and capacity to help women into employment and on to the next stage in their lives. 

We want your help to ensure that we remain in a strong and ready position to support women in need as the economic fallout of Covid-19 continues to impact people’s lives and livelihoods.

THANK YOU!!

Sparky