B&Q has pledged to donate £100,000 of levy funds to the Transfer to Transform scheme, which aims to boost small and medium businesses in the Solent area.
The funds will be used by the scheme to offer apprenticeships and upskill workers in the area, with the particular aim to help SMEs that have struggled amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Transfer to Transform has asked businesses to pledge some of their unspent apprenticeship levy funding, rather than simply giving charitable donations.
By pledging this money, which would otherwise go unspent, big businesses like B&Q can cover the costs for training, enabling SMEs to make new hires and upskill existing employees to drive business in a difficult market.
Businesses are able to actively get involved in which SMEs their funds go towards helping – B&Q has requested that its donation aids training for trade roles.
The retailer’s funds have already been invested in apprenticeships for four small businesses to train a gas engineer, a plumber and two installation maintenance electricians, and will be dispersed elsewhere in the near future.
B&Q people director Andy Moat said: “The Transfer to Transform scheme is an excellent way for employers to work together and ensure that levy funds are used in the best way and it’s a really simple way for big businesses to support their local communities through supporting SMEs.
“To be able to share our levy fund with SMEs and to help them rebuild through skills and the creation of new opportunities in the area is vital now, more than ever.
“I’d encourage any large business with unspent levy funds to seriously consider how they could use those funds to support SMEs in their local communities.”
As of August 25, Transfer to Transform had received £850,000 in pledges.
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