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Homebuilder's year-long charity campaign delivers nearly £4,000 for homeless

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Persimmon Homes' Suffolk team has concluded their 12-month fundraising campaign for Ipswich Outreach, raising £3,795 for their Charity of the Year.

Why it matters: The funds raised will help Ipswich Outreach continue its vital work with vulnerable community members, including those who are homeless, hungry and isolated.

The details: The homebuilder's staff voted to support Ipswich Outreach as their Charity of the Year in 2024, and went beyond fundraising by volunteering at the charity's soup kitchen in Ipswich town centre.

Persimmon Homes team presenting the Ipswich Outreach team with a giant cheque
Persimmon Home's Suffolk team has concluded their 12-month fundraising campaign for Ipswich Outreach, raising £3,795 for their Charity of the YearPersimmon Homes

What they're saying: "We work with the most vulnerable in our community, those who are homeless and hungry, and those who are isolated and just need a friendly face and listening ear," said Ian Walters, Founder of Ipswich Outreach, who received the cheque at Persimmon Homes' offices in Great Blakenham.

By the numbers: The team raised money through:

  • Regular dress down days

  • Bake sales

  • A raffle

  • A step challenge

  • A bring your dog to work day

For context: Persimmon staff also collected donations of soup, socks, pants, toiletries and tinned meals, which were assembled into parcels for those in need.

The bigger picture: Cllr Carole Jones, Ipswich Borough Council member for Westgate ward and Portfolio-holder for Planning & Museums, said: "It was really heartening to learn about Persimmon's community work and hear what a difference that has made to the charity over the past year."

The bottom line: "They took the cause to heart and many members of the team took time to volunteer at the soup kitchen, meeting those helped by the charity and seeing first-hand how the money they donated is helping the homeless," said Ian Hamilton, Managing Director of Persimmon Homes Suffolk.

Ed Sheeran surprised more than 200 Ipswich students with an impromptu performance at The Baths

Browse upcoming gigs

Check out upcoming BTC events across their three brilliant venues

St Stephens Church, The Baths and The Smokehouse in Ipswich

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Brighten the Corners runs a diverse live music programme, training and education opportunities across three venues, and an annual multi-venue festival in Ipswich, Suffolk.

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Ipswich Town removes job posting after Great Yarmouth MP accuses it of 'disgusting anti-white racism'

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A coaching role that was part of a Coach Inclusion & Diversity Scheme has been removed from the club's website following criticism from Great Yarmouth MP Rupert Lowe for allegedly excluding white male applicants.

Why it matters: The removal of the role comes after Lowe, an independent MP for Great Yarmouth, described the Academy Coach role for the club's Coach Inclusion and Diversity Scheme as "disgusting anti-white racism" because it was open only to "coaches who are currently under-represented within English Professional Football."

This includes "male coaches from Black, Asian and Mixed Heritage backgrounds, and Female coaches from all backgrounds".

Rupert Lowe
Rupert LoweLaurie NobleLaurie Noble Photography

The details: The job posting, which was for a fixed-term 23-month contract with a salary of up to £30,000 per annum, is part of a scheme with the Premier League that seeks to "improve the diversity of football coaches in the professional game to make this area more representative of society and the playing population".

It appeared to be lost on Lowe that hiring a white, male applicant wouldn't achieve the scheme's intended purpose, as he questioned why white men should be "discriminated against" and noted that "the vast majority of paying Ipswich fans, who are indeed white men" might be surprised by the exclusion.

On the roles removal: The club has not publicly commented on the removal of the job listing or Lowe's criticism, and was unable to provide a statement at the time of publication.

This didn't stop Lowe claiming the victory: "Good news - this role has now been rightfully deleted," he wrote on X. "Anti-white racism must not be tolerated," he added. "They should now advertise the job, and allow everybody to apply. Including white men!"

The bottom line: The job posting has been removed from the club's website, and it remains unclear whether Ipswich Town will advertise a revised version of the position or re-advertise the original one.

Ed Sheeran surprised more than 200 Ipswich students with an impromptu performance at The Baths

Browse upcoming gigs

Check out upcoming BTC events across their three brilliant venues

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