A new initiative providing local businesses with valuable CSR opportunities is proving agreat success for David Smith Associates (DSA). In January 2023 DSA became the second Corporate Member of the Northampton Becket Rotary Club as part of a pilot intended to broaden the Club’s Membership appeal. Three volunteers from DSA put their hands up – with no arm twisting – to take part,
and nine months on the three new joiners are all settling in well.
One of the new Rotary Corporate Members Jackie Barnaby – a Consultant Structural Engineer with DSA – said: “I have been made to feel so welcome by everyone at the Becket Club and have really enjoyed taking the lead in coordinating the voluntary drivers scheme we provide for the Northamptonshire Young Carers.”
So how does Rotary Corporate Membership work and why has it proved so successful? The idea is that individual Rotary Membership – which involves regular attendance at the Club’s breakfast meetings is shared across up to four Corporate Members representing the sponsoring local business.
Typically one of the firm’s delegates will attend each week to listen to interesting speakers from a wide range of good causes looking for support and once a month the team get together to communicate club activities back to the firm’s general workforce. This has led to more volunteers helping support numerous local charities through attendance at fundraising events or participation in hands-on community projects such as refurbishing a sensory garden for a special needs school.
“I’m so proud of my colleagues for step- ping up and getting involved in this great new initiative by the Becket Rotary Club,” said DSA Managing Director David Smith. “I would definitely encourage more firms to apply.”
The spin-off in terms of good publicity and ‘ticking off ’ the associated CSR accreditation has also been extremely positive for the firm.
Corporate Rotary Becket (CRB) membership costs between £50 and £62.50 per month for the sponsoring business depending upon the number of delegates (four maximum).
If anyone would like to know more, someone from Rotary Becket will be happy to discuss over a coffee with no obligation.
