The Cabinet Office – Office of the Third Sector has recently published (July 2009) the report of a Task Force led by Dame Julia Cleverdon (Vice President of Business in the Community) on Building Stronger Communities, Business and the Third Sector: Innovation in Tough Times.

The Task Force examined innovation involving businesses and the third sector in working together to help support communities in England at particular risk of fracture due to the downturn. The report calls for a much greater connection between business and the third sector at a local level, demanding greater investment in innovative partnerships.

The publication of the report is timely since it also coincides with the announcement of a formal partnership between Clugston Construction Limited and Newcastle based charity Building Futures East. The partnership is a genuine alliance that sets out to maximise local benefit through training, work experience and the employment of some of our most disaffected and disadvantaged individuals.

As part of the formal agreement the two organisations are committed to joint action to ensure that all contracts undertaken also deliver wider social benefits. Local jobs and employment increase local wealth that should have other spin off benefits where people also spend locally ensuring that money earned stays in local communities longer and supports resilience in the local economy.

Clugston have also gone a step further however in offering sponsorship to Building Futures East by providing support with training materials.

Anthony Woods-Waters, Chief Executive of Building Futures East commented:

“Clugston are a very good example of an enlightened and forward thinking company with an organisational culture developing on strong values. This provides an ideal fit with a community grown and owned organisation such as Building Futures East that is also value led and enterprise focussed. Our combined potential is therefore potent, focussed on real and lasting change and resonates very strongly with many recommendations of the Cabinet Office report.”

Steve Waggett, Regional Manager for Clugston Construction commented:

“We are delighted to enter into this partnership which will not only assist Building Futures East with their ongoing commitment to training and developing the local workforce but also help in reducing the potential skills shortage that could become evident when construction activity increases as the recession lifts.”

Clugston Construction are part of Clugston Group Ltd one of the regions largest privately owned companies. They are committed to maintaining and developing a skilled workforce and recently participated in the Channel 4 series “Undercover Boss ” in which its’ group chief executive went on site to experience life at the front end of the business. Amongst the issues raised was the need to attract young people into the construction industry as well as retain the skills of the older workforce.