New appointment will boost Plymouth’s charity and voluntary sector

Voluntary sector organisations and charities in Plymouth will receive a boost next year, following the announcement that Lloyds Banking Group will be seconding a full time Business Connector into the area.

Joanna Bunker has left her role as Senior Manager at Lloyds Banking Group in London for a year, to return to her home town of Plymouth to work as a Business Connector. She will be using her business skills to encourage links between businesses and charities in the city.

The secondment has been arranged through Business in the Community, a national charity led by HRH The Prince of Wales, which promotes the power of business to secure a fairer society and more sustainable future. The Business Connectors programme has been publicly backed by David Cameron as well as HRH The Prince of Wales.

“Having grown up in Plymouth I am delighted to have been given the opportunity by Lloyds Banking Group to return to my local community and support the area. I am working with a number of businesses and charities from across the City and keen to meet many more over the next 12months,” commented Joanna Bunker. “My role is to work in partnership with local businesses on initiatives around employability, education and enterprise, to help drive sustainable changes within some of the most challenging parts of our local community.”

Joanna has already made good inroads locally, working on projects which include:

·         Feeding the homeless at Christmas – using donations of food from local businesses to provide a hot meal for homeless and other vulnerable people, in partnership with the charity Shekinah
·         Supporting Stonehouse charity ‘Millfields Inspired’ to partner with local businesses and encourage them to open their doors to primary school students and shine a light on working life across the City
·         Working with Lloyds Bank branch managers from across the South West, helping them get to the heart of their communities and support good causes
·         Connecting local businesses & helping them shape their community engagement plans

Jo Le Poidevin, business development director, England West at BITC, said: “Plymouth is a great city but, like any big city, it has its challenges. There is a huge amount that businesses can do to help that will benefit the local community, but also the businesses themselves, and Joanna will be able to help these partnerships to happen. Joanna’s enthusiasm and drive is hugely impressive and we’re looking forward to working with her, and seeing the valuable connections she will make across Plymouth.”

BITC recruit and support Business Connectors to work in over 200 disadvantaged areas, with 40 organisations having seconded their talent to date to and deliver impact into local communities addressing local need, with a £4.8m grant from BIG Lottery over 5 years.

For further information, Plymouth businesses and charities should contact Joanna Bunker on Joanna.Bunker@bitcconnect.org or on Twitter, @plymouthconnect. Alternatively, visit www.bitc.org.uk/businessconnectors for more information.