Bedford and District Cerebral Palsy Society (BDCPS) has been chosen by BPL Global to be its Charity of the Year for 2021/22, following a popular staff vote.

BPL Global has also pledged to support the Bedfordshire-based charity for the next three years.

BDCPS provides essential support for children and young people with disabilities, as well as for their families. While the charity specialises in services tailored for young people with Cerebral Palsy, it caters to a wide variety of physical disabilities and complex health needs.

Cerebral Palsy is the name for a group of conditions that impacts mobility and co-ordination. It is the most common form of motor disability in childhood, with an estimated 150 children diagnosed in the UK each month.

BDCPS holds school holiday playschemes, monthly social clubs and adventure trips, designed to give children and young people with life limiting conditions fulfilling and enjoyable experiences. Activities have included sailing, rock climbing, skiing, canal boat trips and theatre productions. The charity also holds special sibling days and provides wellbeing support for parents and carers. Its work continued throughout the pandemic, with a rich programme of virtual and online activities.

“We are absolutely delighted that BPL Global’s employees have chosen BDCPS to be its Charity of the Year,” comments Rose McHugh, Child Services Manager at BDCPS. “We are a small team making a real difference to very vulnerable families within our community. The level of support from BPL Global and its staff is fantastic and will definitely enhance our ability to do this, especially in these uncertain times.”

BDCPS was shortlisted by BPL Global’s staff-led Charity Committee which oversees and channels the company’s corporate charitable donations. Employee engagement is central to BPL Global’s corporate social responsibility efforts and the selection process for its Charity of the Year 2021/2022 involved a call for nominations and a staff-wide vote.

“By getting our colleagues involved in the selection process, it means we can reach the communities and causes that matter the most to our people,” explains Matthew Graham, Compliance Director and Chair of BPL Global’s Charity Committee. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to get behind BDCPS and support the fantastic work they do to give young people with disabilities and their families meaningful opportunities and experiences.”

The Charity Committee aims to support small and medium-sized organisations that are focused on promoting human welfare where BPL Global’s donations can make the most impact. Further information on the organisations BPL Global has supported can be found here.

For the first time this year, employees were asked to vote for BPL Global’s main charity partner, with a commitment to continue supporting the winning charity over a three year period. Alongside the Charity of the Year initiative, BPL Global’s Charity Committee will continue to support causes that are personally important to its employees through the matching of donations and staff fundraising efforts, as well as donations to other long-standing partners and specific international humanitarian appeals.

Find out more about the Bedford and District Cerebral Palsy Society here.