Finlay

Integrity Print is very pleased to sponsor Helen Clarke, and her brother Peter Dommett, as they embark on a fundraising trip through India for St. Margaret’s Hospice.

The intrepid pair will undertake an impressive hike through the Dharamshala region of the Indian Himalayas, between the 3^rd and 14^th of November. The challenge will involve walking around 12 miles every day on tough mountain trails rising to altitudes in excess of 3000 metres.

Helen commented, “The walk itself will be a real challenge, but I am also concerned how I will cope with the long haul flights, crowded cities, the joys of overnight sleeper trains, questionable food, wild camping, and sharing a tent with my brother!”.

Helen and Peter chose to raise funds for St. Margaret’s Hospice after experiencing on how well they looked after their mother during her final days.

“Our motivation for undertaking this challenge is twofold.  We are very keen to raise money in support of St Margaret’s Hospice who provided amazing care for our mother while she was unwell and subsequently during her final days.  They also took the time to support Pete and myself throughout this difficult time, even offering us food and accommodation within the hospice, so we could spend every precious minute with her.

Secondly, this is exactly the sort of challenge our mother would have loved to undertake, but she never had the chance.  So, we are doing this both on her behalf and in her memory.  Mum was a remarkable woman, who spent her whole life helping others, whether it be running the village toddler group for 49 years, providing support to young parents (for which she was awarded the BEM), earning the highest award as a blood donor or raising money for the Southwest Children’s Hospice, Save the Children or the Red Cross (she was still knitting teddy bears in her final weeks)”.

The pair have been working tirelessly to raise funds for the trip.

Peter has held a “Yellow Night” in his micropub, the Fallen Tree, in which locals would donate a pound for every item of yellow clothing they wore to the event. A raffle with prizes donated by the local shopkeepers of Hill Road, Clevedon ensured the event raised over £1400, with an additional £500 raised by Helen selling refreshments at a pop-up market. They have also created a JustGiving page with friends and family, raising an incredible £3700.

Helen and Peter have both been training for the trek, breaking in new hiking boots, and walking ever-increasing distances. They have several more events planned soon, including an auction of items in the Fallen Tree, and a Chilli festival at the Barton Inn.

The team at Integrity Print wish Helen and Peter the best of luck as they embark on this extraordinary journey. We are pleased to contribute to their fund raising and delighted to be able to support our local Hospice. Their commitment and dedication are truly inspiring, and we are looking forward to receiving updates on their progress during November.

If you wish to support Helen and Peter, you can donate to their JustGiving page by clicking here.

Stay tuned to Integrity Print’s News page to keep up with all the latest updates on their fund raising efforts and progress through the Indian Himalayas!

Integrity Print is happy to have proudly sponsored Rose Sharland, daughter of Avalon Waste Management Director David Sharland, for completing her hiking journey through the Himalayan mountains in Nepal. Having returned from her awe-inspiring trip, we are delighted to share details of her adventures and the profound impact of this extraordinary expedition.

Rose departed for her trip on the 19^th of July 2023, and travelled for 16 days across the country. Her trip was joined by pupils both from her own school, Crispin in Street, and nearby St Dunstan’s school in Glastonbury. After a long flight over, Rose arrived in Kathmandu, where first impressions included extremely hot nighttime weather and the bustling sounds of the city. During her stay in Kathmandu, Rose explored cultural gems like the Monkey Temple and indulged in her first authentic Nepalese meal, complete with the obligatory chapati.

With preparations complete, Rose and her group embarked on their journey, beginning with a white-water rafting adventure covering 24km. The mountainous roads and breathtaking landscapes provided a fitting introduction to the challenges and thrills that awaited them. The arduous yet exhilarating 6-hour minibus journey to Pokhara marked the commencement of Rose’s hike to Poon Hill within the Himalayas. Once they finished another 6-hour minibus journey, Rose arrived in Pokhara, the start of her hike to Poon Hill within the Himalayas.

Every day began bright and early to avoid the heat and monsoon season rain. According to Rose, they were “not just showers, but torrential downpours which were just as refreshing as they were relentless. The monsoons also brought leeches, tiny black demons that we would have to swat away a lot”.

Rose hiked for 5-8 hours a day towards their destination. As she describes: “We went up and down many hills, crossed over rope suspension bridges, ventured through amazing, lush forests with monkeys and insects clicking us along.” Each night they stayed in Tea Huts (hostels) which while all had varying standards were nice. Rose found the scenery to be “vast and beautiful” during the hike. Unfortunately, the clouds obscured the eagerly anticipated sunrise, slightly veiling the panoramic view. This would not be so bad if Rose did not wake up at 4 a.m. to see it!

On return to Pokhara, Rose moved to an Eco-Farm where here she actively participated in harvesting lychees, guavas, and mangoes from the surrounding trees. After helping on the farm for 2 days, she returned to Kathmandu for souvenir shopping, and finally took the long flight back home.

Reflecting on her journey, she shared, “It was an amazing trip, and I have memories to share forever. I’m so grateful for everyone who helped me get there. Thank you!”. At Integrity Print, we are overjoyed to have been a part of Rose’s incredible journey. We congratulate Rose on her successful expedition and wish her all the best in her future endeavours. May her experiences continue to inspire others to embark on their own adventures and embrace the transformative power of exploration.

To find out how Rose prepared for her journey, you can read about it in our previous blog here. Whether it’s charity bike rides, sponsoring local sports teams, planting trees, fundraising for the NHS, or launching environmental initiatives, Integrity has always looked to make a valuable and positive contribution to our local community. Stay tuned for the latest updates from our News section.

Integrity Print have been supporting Butleigh Cricket club for over five years and we wanted to reflect on the positive impact we have made on this important part of the village community.

Our company has always valued our place in our local area and enjoys finding ways to give back to those around us. When the opportunity arose to sponsor the local cricket club, it was an easy decision to make. Integrity Group’s CEO, Mark Cornford, who lives in Butleigh, stated, “I started it to support their Captain Sam Bilsborough as he’s a good friend and fellow sheep farmer, as well as supporting our local team. By supporting local activities like Butleigh CC, I feel we help to encourage team building and greater community participation; my daughter Grace, is a keen cricketer as well!”

Collaborating with John Potts, the secretary for the Butleigh Cricket Club, has been a rewarding experience. Our shared passion for cricket has enabled us to work together effectively over the years. John’s knowledge of the club and the community has been invaluable in ensuring that our involvement has had a positive impact. John reflected on the impact our previous sponsorships have had, stating, “By providing playing kits for players, the sponsorship significantly reduces the cost for people to play for Butleigh. We want cricket to be accessible to as many people as possible. With everyone from the U11s to the 1stXI wearing the same kit, it helps create a sense of community and equality through the club.”

(Source: Dorsetcamera)

Moreover, John noted how the sponsorships help keep their entry costs down, thus encouraging more players to join. “We are proud to be one of the cheapest clubs to play for, and we know that keeping costs for players down encourages players from all walks of life, young and old to join us. This is especially the case for the juniors. When parents discover they do not have to pay for expensive kit their child will grow out of quickly, they are much happier for their child to be fully involved.”

In addition to keeping costs down, recent sponsorships have enabled the club to invest in maintaining its facilities and machinery. John said, “We have recently purchased a new square mower and refurbished our roller, enabling the volunteer team who maintain the ground to produce better playing surfaces.”

(Brochures that Integrity have printed for Butleigh CC)

Integrity has also been more than happy to print fixture books for the club over the years. The fixture books provide players, supporters, and volunteers with core information for the season. John commented, “Whilst much of the information is available online, many members see the fixture book as an important part of the club culture. By providing this to us as part of the sponsorship saves significant expenses, enabling us to invest in other areas of running the club.”

Integrity’s Financial Director, Robert Burgess, is particularly passionate about cricket and shares the view that supporting the local cricket team also lets the community thrive. “One of the things cricket, and in particular village cricket, teaches you is how to mix with and talk to those older than you. I grew up in a village and forged long lasting friendships through meeting people at cricket.” Robert went on to say, “I think the reason we have so many young players joining is that they simply enjoy the game and environment that they play in. Even if some of them play for a short while, they all grow closer together as friends and as a community. Making these moments possible is why I am glad we can keep sponsoring a club like Butleigh CC.”

(Source: Butleigh CC Twitter)

Looking back, we are proud of the contribution we have made to the club and the sense of camaraderie it has brought to the people of Butleigh. We look forward to helping more clubs and other events reach the same level of success.

Whether it’s charity bike rides, sponsoring local sports teams, planting trees, fundraising for the NHS, or launching environmental initiatives, Integrity has always looked to make a valuable and positive contribution to our local community. Stay tuned for the latest updates from our News section.

In March, Integrity Print’s Chief Executive Officer, Mark Cornford, planted 250 native trees on his land in South Somerset, through the Woodland Trust’s MOREWOODS project.

The Woodland Trust’s MOREWOODS project is a supportive service designed to allow landowners to plant a large number of trees in a streamlined, efficient way. With their support and advise Mark has already planted 1500 native trees on his land. The additional 250 trees include a variety of different native species, such as Field Maple, Common Alder, and Downy Birch, to increase the diversity of the existing project.

Mark’s most recent tree planting project was back in 2020, when 1000 trees that were planted. During this period, he was joined by children from the Butleigh C of E Primary school, who were invited to learn about trees and to take part in the project. This turned out to be a positive day, as headteacher of the school, Helen Caines noted that the children “absolutely loved it”!

When discussing this project, Mark explained:

“I have always felt my best when I am making efforts to reconnect with nature. We have space in these fields, so I feel you can never plant too many trees. It is good for the environment, good for biodiversity and wildlife, and our local community seems to appreciate what we are doing. I can’t think of any reasons why I shouldn’t plant more! It is a positive thing not just for my own children, but for my children’s children and future generations.

It was good fun, a decent exercise, and a great excuse to get my knees muddy planting this latest batch.”

Mark’s project is one of many being undertaken by landowners, farmers, businesses and local authorities through the Woodland Trust. These projects have helped increase biodiversity, provide shelter, prevent soil erosion, and reduce the risk of flooding in rural areas throughout the UK. You can apply to take part in the MOREWOODS project via the Woodland Trust’s website.

Whether it’s charity bike rides, sponsoring local sports teams, planting trees, fundraising for the NHS, or launching environmental initiatives, Integrity has always looked to make a valuable and positive contribution to our local community. We will look to continue our efforts this year, and hopefully make an even greater impact in 2023.

Integrity Print is very pleased to be able to sponsor Rose Sharland, daughter of Avalon Waste Management Director David Sharland, on her upcoming school trip to Nepal later this year. This trip will involve her undertaking an impressive long hike through the mountains of Nepal.

Rose will be departing on her trip on the 19^th July this year and will be travelling for sixteen days. She will join pupils from both her own school, Crispin in Street, and nearby St Dunstan’s school in Glastonbury.

Their journey will begin by flying to Kathmandu via Singapore. The first two days will be spent in Kathmandu visiting markets and buying supplies for the hike. From the capital, they will travel to rural Nepal and stay with a farming family. As part of their school learning, they will learn how organic farming in Nepal fits into the sustainable tourism that they offer to travellers and will have the opportunity to help with the day to day tasks of the farm.

Once finished on the farm, they will begin the next part of their journey, a hike through the Himalayas. The hike will last for several days and involve staying in remote mountain cabins. Rose and her colleagues will have an incredible opportunity to experience the wildlife, scenery, and landscapes of Nepal.

This would not have been possible without the efforts Rose has made to fund the trip for herself. She has displayed an amazing work ethic by raising money in a variety of ways. Rose has found weekly work in both her local garden nursery and with a catering company. She has sown hundreds of seeds to be sold at her local farm shop, along with growing over a hundred pumpkin plants to be sold for Halloween.

Rose working in a kitchen.

But that is not all. From collecting money from the Glastonbury carnival, to running raffles for hampers, using her crafting skills to create and sell Christmas cards, and organising a family bingo night, Rose has demonstrated her incredible determination in raising money. Still to come, she even has plans for another bingo night, more plant sales and also the sale of homemade Easter cards during Spring.

Chief Executive Officer of Integrity Print, Mark Cornford, was impressed by her fund-raising efforts and wanted to offer further support:
“I feel excited for Rose and the prospect of such an amazing adventure. I believe it will benefit her and her fellow explorers but also the families and people that they will meet in Nepal. I think what she is doing is highly commendable, I am proud to support Rose on this incredible journey”.

Rose with her grown pumpkins and homemade Christmas Cards

We at Integrity wish you the best of luck, Rose!

Stay tuned to find out how Rose gets on in her continued fundraising, and for updates for when she begins her amazing journey.

Want to find out what else is happening within the Integrity Print Group? Simply go over to our other division sites like Integrity Connect, Integrity Cymru, and Charity Resource to find out more!

In the run-up to Christmas, Integrity Print once again held a Christmas Jumper Week fundraiser. Staff members were encouraged to wear their most festive attire during the last week before the Christmas break. As with last year’s event, all the money raised will be donated to the mental health charity, Mind.

As a charity, Mind specialises in providing advice and support to those struggling with their mental health. Their campaigns revolve around empowering people, improving available services, raising public awareness, and promoting a deeper understanding of traditionally stigmatised issues. Receiving donations means they can continue to maintain and improve the helplines that offer confidential advice to callers. Mind also helps professionally train certain staff members from companies that can then use their acquired skills to help improve their own workplaces.

The upheavals we have all experienced during the last few years have highlighted how important taking care of our mental health is. The increased cost of living, continuous drastic changes within our government, and the war in Ukraine all have an impact on general mental well-being. The support that Mind continues to give to those that need it, is an inspiration for all of us at Integrity Print. Having the opportunity to raise money for the charity while celebrating in a suitably festive way, was something we were more than happy to do. Boosted by further contributions from Integrity, this year the team was able to raise £382 for Mind!

While also fundraising for an important cause, Integrity’s Christmas Jumper Week has become a competition between staff members. A special prize is awarded to the person who has been deemed to have made the most effort with their festive attire. This time, a luxury Christmas Hamper was awarded to IT Support Admin Jay White, who impressed the team with not one but two jumpers he brought in during the week. Well done Jay!

Always Doing More

Whether it’s charity bike rides, sponsoring local sports teams, planting trees, fundraising for the NHS, or launching environmental initiatives, Integrity has always looked to make a valuable and positive contribution to our local community. We will look to continue our efforts this year, and hopefully make an even greater impact in 2023.

Integrity Print is pleased to sponsor Butleigh Village’s cricket club.

The sponsorship will last for 3 years, starting in 2023 and ending in 2025. Counting 60 members of the club, players will wear the Integrity logo on their sleeves as they take part in upcoming fixtures.

Following some excellent results last year, the club was promoted from playing in the Somerset Premier League to now playing in the West of England Premier League’s Somerset Division. This means their future games will be played at an even higher, more competitive level.

Butleigh is a small village, near the towns of Street and Glastonbury. The village is home to many friendly faces that enjoy the sport of cricket, football, and rugby just as they enjoy tending to their farm animals and the great outdoors.

(Source: Butleigh CC Twitter)

Mark Cornford, Integrity’s Chief Executive Officer, comments:

“We have lived in this beautiful village for over 20 years, and I have always admired the many well-run sports clubs and societies that the village has. Integrity has sponsored Butleigh Cricket Club for a number of years now, it is a vibrant, successful and inclusive club that I am keen to encourage to develop and grow.”

(Source: Dorsetcamera)

We at Integrity wish all players the best of luck in their upcoming season matches!

Whether it is taking part in charity walks, sponsoring local sports teams, planting trees, fundraising for the NHS, or launching environmental initiatives, Integrity has always looked to make a valuable and positive contribution both locally and nationally. Stay tuned for more updates!