Donation to Mid Sussex Voluntary Action from Burgess Hill company

Mims Davies has highlighted the plight of charities and community groups experiencing financial hardship during the Covid pandemic, especially when talking to local businesses.

This resulted in immediate donations to a number of local organisations including the MSVA.

One of these was from Roche Diagnostics, a global healthcare company with its UK HQ in Burgess Hill, which responded with a donation of £714 to the MSVA.

The registered charity provides invaluable support services to the voluntary sector in Mid Sussex including training, best practice and legislation updates, funding and grants guidance, volunteering advice and pairing, and peer networking. MSVA also has a community room for local charities and groups to hire at discounted rates, which had proved useful pre-Covid-19 and is starting to be used again.

Geoff Twist, general manager of Roche Diagnostics UK, said: “This pandemic has been, and continues to be, an exceptionally challenging time. So many small organisations like Mid Sussex Voluntary Action, which do such vital work in the local community, have been particularly hard hit. We’re pleased to be able to support them in this way.”

Ms Davies added: “I am so pleased to support Mid Sussex Voluntary Action and to have been able to help them secure this vital donation. Local charities have been struggling recently as fundraising has become so much more difficult as a result of the health pandemic and lockdown. Local Mid Sussex charities such as MSVA do such great work and I am thrilled they have strong plans to go to new heights helping with local people and local businesses post the covid peak.”

Lauren Lloyd, MSVA’s chief executive officer, added: “The money is very gratefully received. It will go towards maintaining our ability to help our 400 members, some of which are very small and otherwise unable to access vital services. We appreciate the donation so much.

“We’d like to work more with the local business community to offer volunteering partnerships between staff and our member groups. Volunteering has been proven to have a positive effect on wellbeing, mental health, and loneliness.

“It’s also a great way to encourage team working and relationship-building while doing good for the community. Anyone interested can call me on 01444 258102 for an informal chat.”

For more information on MSVA visit www.msva.org.uk

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