From cake sales to head shaving, marathon runs to taking time out to mentor in life skills, Jardine Motors’ 3,500 colleagues have all stepped up to raise more than £1 million for charity.

The dealer group formed a strategic partnership six years ago with Whizz-Kidz, a national charity that has helped transform the lives of more than 20,000 disabled children and young people since 1990, by providing mobility equipment, life skills, training and support.

Every time a Jardine dealership opens its doors, it helps generate funds for the charity.

Each Motability vehicle sold sees £25 donated, each car sent to auction raises £1 and each completed retail job card contributes 10p. A vital element to the partnership has been Jardine’s determination to cascade the programme to all areas of the business and it does this in three ways.

The first was to create a network of Whizz-Kidz charity champions that own the relationship at a local level and are responsible for driving activity and meeting fundraising targets.

The second is giving central HR and group communications, with the support of senior management, the responsibility to lead the charity partnership and monitor progress.

The third is having a community-focused culture driven by chief executive Neil Williamson and group HR director Clare Martin, who, along with the dealership team, have embraced the charity partnership and become advocates for the business.

Senior management have supported the charity programme with a budget of £30,000 per dealership to help kick-start fundraising activities.

Colleagues can also use two days’ paid volunteering allowance to help support clinics and clubs across the UK.

The partnership has helped to pay for 120 wheelchairs and pieces of equipment, 7,000 hours of mobility therapist treatments and 700 club places for disabled kids to have fun and enjoy time away from home. 

The money has also been used to fund residential camp places for young people planning to become more independent, 20 work placements and two specialist vans to help transport more than 3,000 disabled young people to events and days out.

Highly commended: Roadside Garages, TrustFord

Finalists: Carshop, Hendy Group, Jardine Motors, Roadside Garages, TrustFord