Bath-headquartered utility Wessex Water is to collaborate with one of the UK’s leading cancer charities in a pilot scheme aimed at supporting each other’s long-term development by using their shared expertise and experience.
Under the link-up with Penny Brohn UK, which is based at Ham Green just outside Bristol, the charity will get constructive feedback and help develop a commercially attractive service, which can then be marketed to other organisations.
Wessex Water will also support it by providing training workshops on specific business areas and facilitating a mentoring programme to help develop and nurture individual managers at the charity.
As the country’s leading charity providing free care and support to anyone affected by cancer, before, during and after treatment, Penny Brohn UK has developed techniques to help people live well with cancer, feel empowered and reclaim control of their health.
The partnership will enable staff at Wessex Water, which has its head office at Claverton Down and employs around 2,500 people across the West of England, to access these specialist wellbeing services.
Penny Brohn UK commercial director Andrew Hufford said: “This is very exciting for us. As a small organisation it is difficult for us to develop the training and HR tools that we need.
“For instance, Wessex Water have knowledge and expertise that can help us with our appraisal system for staff.
“We also have a 40-year track record and skilled team that are supporting people every day with the emotional and psychological impact of cancer.
“We have fantastic gardens where we can host events for Wessex Water staff and provide them with the support they need.”
Wessex Water head of water recycling – and cancer survivor – James Lovell added: “Penny Brohn UK do some fantastic work to support people living with cancer and their families, many of whom are our customers.
“Having benefited from the support Penny Brohn provided me, both during and after cancer treatment, I am thrilled to be working with such an established and beloved charity that has deep roots in the communities we serve.”
The scheme is part of Wessex Water’s existing Skillshare volunteer programme, which provides more than 3,000 hours of volunteer support to local charities every year.
Wessex Water, which is owned by YTL Power International, part of the Malaysian conglomerate YTL, supplies water and sewage services to 2.8m customers across an area of 10,000 sq km stretching from Bath and Wiltshire to Bristol, Somerset, Dorset and parts of Gloucestershire.
