There for you!

May 5 2009 by Karen McLauchlan, Evening Gazette

NEWTON Aycliffe-based shower designer and manufacturer Roman has chosen its charity for 2009 - Options.

The project is delivered by the Newton Aycliffe charity Pioneering Care Partnership, which was originally formed to provide support and opportunities for local people, with the mission to improve health, wellbeing, quality of life and to reduce inequalities in the local community.

It has since grown to include a number of projects and also manages the Pioneering Care Centre - a one-stop shop for health and wellbeing.

To mark the start of the fund-raising partnership, a group of service users and their support workers came to visit the Roman Factory.

The Roman Charity Committee is now more determined than ever to raise more than last year’s grand total of £11,000.

Over the next 12 months the team will be working closely with Options to organise fund-raising events that will encourage everyone to get involved.

Roman’s chairman, Gerry Osborne, said: “We are extremely privileged to have been given the opportunity to work closely with a locally-based charity like Options, who are working towards such a worthwhile cause.

“It gives Roman the opportunity to give something back to the local area. Options rely on local companies recognising their efforts so they can continue providing their much-needed service.”

Colin Grainger, disability services co-ordinator for Options who visited the Roman factory, said: “We found the factory tour a great informal way of getting to know the staff at Roman while involving our members in fund-raising efforts.

“We are always very grateful to companies like Roman who provide much-needed resources to assist us develop even better service for the community.

“The money raised by Roman will contribute to activity and transport costs, the running of the social club and to setting up a gardening project which we have wanted to do for sometime.”