As reported in the January edition of PBM, Lords Group Trading plc marked the formal launch of its new Foundation towards the end of 2022 in addition to the official opening of its newly-refurbished Beaconsfield branch.
The majority family shareholders who established Lords have a long-standing history of charitable giving. Building on this legacy, Lords Group Trading established The Lords Group Foundation in 2021, prior to listing on AIM, and the business hosted a special event in November at popular Portobello Road go-to Acklam Village to officially launch the initiative.
The Group has committed to donating £200,000 per annum to the Foundation. It notes that “if we are to be local leaders in our markets, this comes with the responsibility of giving back to and supporting the local communities where we trade. Lords Group Foundation therefore focuses support on making meaningful contributions to community projects that are local to our businesses.”
Over many years, Lords has already supported a wide range of projects, from Scholarships at the London School of Economics to feeding over 450 children every day at a school in Kenya, an annual grant to Save the Children and support to the homeless through the charity Crash. Through the establishment of the Lords Group Foundation, the aim is to build on this history of giving and fundraising whilst allowing Lords to better structure its initiatives and give its colleagues an opportunity to get involved in determining how it can support their local communities.
At the launch event, speeches were given by Lords Founder and CEO Shanker Patel, Westway Trust CEO Venu Dhupa, Habitat for Humanity CEO Tum Kazunga and Lords colleague Dee Singh who all shared inspiration and praise for the impact the Foundation has created so far, and how the collaboration between the new initiative and local charities is making a positive difference to date.
Shanker Patel said: “As a family, we recognise the importance of both giving back and sharing our success. We want to create a legacy that involves the whole Lords Group Trading family, which is rooted in recognising and supporting our wider communities.”
In other news from the Group, Lords Builders Merchants has also marked the official opening of its newly refurbished branch in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire. As part of an ongoing programme of investment and expansion, the new-look depot boasts an expanded range of services and improved customer facilities including a bathroom showroom, an extensive decorating centre, 3D bathroom and kitchen design services, the Lords Plumbing & Heating division, an Advance Roofing outlet, and an HSS Hire counter.
