Responsive Engineering

Reece Group Businesses Receive The Chronicle’s Champion Business Award

December 15, 2017

Hosted by BBC Newcastle’s Anna Foster, nominees recognised for contribution to their community

As one of the Reece Group businesses, Responsive Engineering is honoured to have been awarded The Chronicle’s Champion Business Award in recognition of its donations to the community.

At an emotional ceremony, which celebrated so many moving and inspirational stories, Reece Group staff collected the award on behalf of the Group, its engineering businesses and employees, the Reece Foundation and the Reece family.

They were joined by representatives from a few of the many charities and organisations that the Group has supported over the last five years through its West End Fund, including Reviving the Heart of the West End (RHWE), Northbourne Street Youth Initiative and NE Youth.

— REECE Group (@REECEgroup) 7 December 2017

Reviving the Heart of the West End

Dianne Mackay, executive assistant, Reece Group, said: “We are honoured to receive this award and to be part of such an inspirational evening. The stories we heard of bravery and community spirit are truly humbling.

“The Reece family and the Reece Group businesses are committed to investing in the community in which we operate. Many of our staff also fundraise for a range of good causes and are passionate about opening up the world of engineering to young people.

“We are proud to support the work of the many fantastic charities and organisations that are making a real difference to people’s lives and helping to inspire the next generation of North East engineers.”

And that brings #ChronChamps 2017 to a close. What a fantastic and humbling evening. Here are all of tonight’s winners on stage: pic.twitter.com/wIBX2SFE69

— Tom Eden (@TomEden11) 7 December 2017

NE Youth Blaydon Health Art Project

The Reece Group businesses; Reece Foundation and the LGA Foundation, the personal charity of chairman John Reece MBE and his wife Sue; have donated over £15m to initiatives across the region.

The Group’s West End Fund supports charities and organisations in the West End of Newcastle, home to the firm’s manufacturing facility the Armstrong Works.

The Reece Foundation specifically funds STEM-related projects to inspire the next generation of engineers and tackle the gender imbalance in the profession. Initiatives supported include Arkwright Scholarships, Ri (Royal Institution) Masterclasses, meet an engineer sessions in schools and Tomorrow’s Engineer’s EEP Robotics Challenge.
“When the firm purchased the Armstrong Works on Scotswood Road and invested £20m in establishing one of the UK’s premier manufacturing facilities to secure local jobs, it also vowed to continue Lord Armstrong’s legacy of investing in the community.

The LGA Foundation, was one of the major funders of the West End Food Bank and donates to charities including St Oswald’s Hospice and Denton Youth and Community Project.

Presenting the award, the judges said:

“With engineering being the backbone of the North East, this is a champion business that deserves its award. Reece Group, the Reece Foundation and the personal charities of the Reece family have donated over £15m to good causes that encourage the next generation of the region’s engineers and to community projects in the West End of Newcastle.

“From state-of-the-art Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) centres in schools, to young people starting their own businesses, grassroots sport and food banks, they support a wide-range of charities and organisations.

“Committed to tackling the skills gap and inspiring the next generation of engineers, staff are involved in a number of STEM-related programmes with local schools. And they support a string of other causes that are grateful for their kindness. This company deserve to be our winner.”

Read more about the winners of the awards in The Chronicle