Sometimes, the best collaborations come out of a simple conversation.
Claire Sharpe, Purchasing Assistant from leading PVCu systems company Liniar, ran the London Marathon in October 2022 and raised over £10,500 for Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People (clocking a fantastic time in the process!)
When Rainbows’ Corporate Partnership Fundraiser Kirsty Coxon asked Claire to visit the Loughborough- based hospice to find out how the funds would help to care for the hundreds of families whose lives are brightened by Rainbows each year, she jumped at the chance.
During a tour of the purpose-built facilities, Kirsty mentioned the volunteers who gave up their time to look after Rainbows’ different garden areas, keeping them weed-free and wheelchair friendly for families of different ages to enjoy. Passing an unused muddy area, Kirsty commented that the hospice team would love to add some decking in the future to make it more attractive and useable – and Claire immediately thought of Liniar’s decking range.
The wheels were soon set in motion. The Liniar Outdoor team visited Rainbows to carry out a site survey and determine what was needed, then created a decking kit consisting of SwitchBoard Ultra PVCu composite deckboards and matching balustrade with glass panels. To keep the whole installation rot-free, the decking would be installed on a Liniar aluminium sub-frame and a ramp added for access.
The work was carried out over a few days in April by volunteers from the Liniar Secondary Operations, Design and Technical teams and was completed in time for Rainbows’ Open Day, where visitors found out more about the unique, compassionate work the team at Rainbows do.
Liniar’s Group Finance Director Monika Bailey visited the Rainbows open day with her mother, saying, “It was a very humbling day for both of us. The deck looks absolutely amazing and will make a massive difference to Rainbows. I’m very proud to be part of a team that is able to help make lives better in this way.”
Kirsty comments, “We’ve all been blown away by the generosity of the team at Liniar and the speed at which they made things happen! Everyone loves the new decking area, and it’s already been put to good use – for example, we recently held a stargazing evening with bean bags and blankets for one of our families.
“Liniar has been a big supporter of Rainbows since the start of Covid-19 in 2020, and we feel that its team have really taken us to heart – they get involved of lots of fundraising activities, with all the funds going towards brightening the lives of children with serious or terminal illnesses. We’re grateful to Claire for the staggering amount she raised, and also for enabling us to receive our new decking area – thank you to everyone involved!”
For more information about the valuable work Rainbows does, or to donate, visit www.rainbows.co.uk.
