To mark its 150th anniversary in 2014, the Yorkshire Building Society set up a Lasting Legacy Fund and invited fifteen charities to apply for a share of a special fund to assist them in supporting their community and leave a “lasting legacy”. More than six hundred charities applied by submitting an application for a specific project which would have a “tangible outcome and lasting benefit to a community within the U.K.”
Suffolk Owl Sanctuary submitted its proposal for the development of a Sensory Garden within the Sanctuary grounds to significantly improve the visitor experience for disabled, deaf and blind visitors. Not only a quiet reflective place to sit, the garden would offer wheelchair accessible picnic tables, a delicate water feature, atmospheric wind chimes, tactile wooden seating and highly scented, butterfly friendly borders.
Andy received the award on behalf of S.O.S. on the new carved seats in ‘Teachers Corner’
The YBS Lasting Legacy Committee chose a shortlist of thirty charities and invited colleagues, customers and members of the public to vote for the three projects that they felt most worthy of a substantial donation. Suffolk Owl Sanctuary was a popular choice with voters and an award was granted towards our project in April.
YBS Corporate Responsibility Manager, Pauline Giroux commented “We are delighted to be able to support these fifteen projects and we are looking forward to seeing the benefits they will bring.To be chosen from over 600 charity projects shows that they have really resonated with our colleagues and members of the public and will deliver a tangible benefit to their local communities.”