Member News
Tyneside-based digital office equipment provider, SOS Group, is joining forces with an employment charity to support local women who need help getting into work.
Smart Works Newcastle’s aim is to empower 1,000 women a year into employment, helping them to fulfil their potential and transform their lives. The charity provides high-quality interview clothing and one-to-one interview coaching, and 63% of its clients find employment within a month of their visit.
SOS Group is giving practical support by creating a clothing donation station at its base on the Team Valley, use of the company’s vans and providing office equipment to reduce costs for the charity.
Most recently, SOS Group supported Smart Works Newcastle’s Festive Fashion and Fizz sale event by helping to transport the many clothes that had been donated. The annual fundraiser was a great success and raised over £10,000.
Established in 2002, SOS Group is an award-winning office technology company facilitating business requirements across all sectors, including IT and communications. It specialises in providing copy, print, scan solutions and has a centralised office in Gateshead and six regional hubs servicing accounts nationally.
Andrew Skelton, a Director at SOS Group, says: “We’re passionate about supporting the local community and proud to be part of a team effort to support woman over obstacles to get into work.
“No doubt there are many women out there with the potential to become valued workplace members and we greatly admire the work of Smart Works in helping them to reach that goal.
“Lack of suitable interview clothes and a need to improve on interview techniques are barriers we can help overcome and we’re pleased to be playing a small part in making that happen.”
Smart Works Newcastle was established in 2018 and is part of UK employment charity, Smart Works. Last year, Smart Works supported over 8,000 women nationally, with Newcastle seeing over 500 of these.
The Smart Works service is also delivered in London, Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Reading and Leeds, and also offers virtual appointments to women outside of these areas.
Helen Boyd, Smart Works Newcastle Centre Manager, says: “We are so grateful to partner with SOS who are providing vital logistical support for our fundraising events, a Team Valley donation station, making it easier for supporters to drop off donations and office equipment.
“It remains a challenging time for small charities like Smart Works Newcastle so support like this become a vital way for us to save time and money to focus on our core mission to support North East women into employment.”
SOS Group is very proud of its long track record in supporting the many wonderful people and organisations who are making a positive difference to local communities within the North East.
Over the last year, the company has provided support for more than 30 community projects, charities, sports clubs and talented individuals and it is an established supporter of Suitability, a North East-based Community Interest Company (CIC) helping men into employment using donated clothing.
For more information, please visit www.sosgroup-ltd.co.uk.
