Corporate Giving by Pfizer Ltd

Pfizer Windfall - One of our long term Corporate Supporters, Pfizer Ltd has very kindly donated £17,001 towards two projects that we now can undertake.

Project 1 Mobile Animal Farm

To take a variety of small animals, eg rabbits, rats, guinea pigs, poultry, ducks, ferrets etc off-site to other Care Projects.

We have carried out a market research and established a need for this kind of project. Amongst others, Diana Jakes of Demelza House, Sittingbourne, Elaine Hilden of Barchester Health Care at Ashford, Becky Sellen of Pilgrims Hospice at Canterbury and Andrea from Hamstreet Primary School would all like to be beneficiaries and Marilyn Cole of Brabourne Care Centre said that they would be very interested as the mobile farm could become part of the activities which their residents are encouraged to undertake.

The hands-on animal experience has proven therapeutic values:

1) It will be at no cost to the beneficiary which is a good thing as many organisations lack resources
2) Beneficiaries have had animals at home in the past and mobile farm could take the place of missing pets.

3) The experience will enable our own residents to interact with society
4) It will give our residents an opportunity to become "carers" for the day and become helpers themselves

Taking an average of 20-30 residents/patients at each venue, and 10 visits per year we are looking at 200-300 people each year.

In addition our own residents would assist in delivery thus enhancing their own experience and confidence.

Project 2 Life Skills

The main objective of the Life Skills projects is to provide education and training so that residents/tenants can develop and progress towards greater independence and the fulfilment of personal goals.

To this end, we, since 2005, developed a curriculum comprising an integrated package of accredited (City And Guilds) vocational, Life Skills, Basic Skills and generic work-place skills courses at Entry Level, within the National Foundation Learning Tier.

We have identified a growing need to make available further provision and routes of progression to our residents. This latest project will enable our residents to learn new skills and try for higher level qualifications.

We have identified a growing need to make available further provision and routes of progression to our residents. This latest project will enable our residents to learn new skills and try for higher level qualifications.

The key objectives of are to:

1) Introduce as a pilot, a suite of accredited NVQ courses in Hospitality and IT
2) Initiate an expansion to our range of generic work place skills courses
3) Allow our students to progress to the fullest extent of their ability, whether for employment or for personal development.

There will be a total of 121 direct beneficiaries:

• 25 Awarding Body Registrations, Entry level
• 8 Awarding Body Registrations, NVQ Level 1
• 40 Work Place Skills, Manual Handling
• 48 Work Place Skills, First Aid

Immediate Beneficiaries will include:

4 Staff, training to Assess NVQ

Long Term Indirect Beneficiaries:

Once the programs are up and running, benefit will continue to accrue beyond the initial time frame.

For more information about Corporate Giving please contact Rita Mathur on 01233 861519 or email: rm@c-o-t.org.uk