Business as a force for good at our local college

MD James Spencer recently visited Kingsbridge Community College to take part in the Discovery Challenge Week with Year 10 students, to help them consider their futures post-GCSEs.

Emily Fairclough, Assistant Principal and Director of Sixth Form, said:“We wanted to acknowledge the significant impact your contribution to this week has been. Thank you so much for the work that took place in preparation for these conversations and for the caring and supportive way you conducted the interviews. All students who we have spoken to really valued this experience and we thank you, as ever, for the part you play in our college community.”

James commented: “It was a true privilege to hear the outgoing, capable voices of so many Year 10 students. My purpose in this project was to encourage open-minded thinking about paths after GCSEs – whichever route for the student leading ultimately to the workplace. After many years I was fortunate to find a deeply fulfilling career of my own eventually, in business, at 25 years old. I walked many paths to find the right one for the large part of my career. I hope the students I spoke to came away with a sense of optimism for working - perhaps even for business! Business and work is a force for good, after all. Credit to Kingsbridge Community College for bringing about this well-organised, focused event.”

James is also Chairman of the area’s Chamber of Commerce and was approached by KCC, alongside a handful of other professionals across private and public sector, to take part in the KCC project.

Pebbles has taken a further step towards contributing to and nurturing the local area with the launch of its Employer Supported Volunteering this year, whereby employees receive full pay from Pebbles, for up to two days each year, to volunteer in the community or for a charity on a project of their choosing, during working hours.

James said: “Giving to a cause that we care about, especially giving up time in the era we live in… well it broadens our horizons, helps us to know ourselves better, and it builds our resilience. Employer Supported Volunteering schemes exist elsewhere and when we spotted the principle, we knew it was important that the 100-strong team at Pebbles was supported to volunteer as they wished.”

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(Photo credit: Scot Baston at Cornerstone Cornerstone Photography)