Gripple, the Sheffield-based, employee-owned manufacturer of wire joiners and tensioners and suspension solutions for agriculture, construction, solar and infrastructure, is celebrating a bumper year for its charitable fundraising activities, raising over £28,000 for the Create a Dream Foundation.

This is in addition to employees raising a total of £25k in their own individual and team fundraising efforts for a number of other local charities, plus the fundraising arm of Gripple, the Gripple Foundation, donates one per cent of its budgeted profit, which includes supporting over 100 charities and community causes.

The Gripple Foundation also provides up to £500 match funding per employee per year to encourage their own individual fundraising efforts too.

Back in January 2023, the Gripple Foundation, announced that Create a Dream Foundation was its nominated charity for the year. This is a Sheffield charity that helps fund gifts and trips for seriously ill young people in South Yorkshire.

The money raised by Gripple will be put towards trips to exciting places like Centre Parcs, for Safari Experiences, to Disneyland Paris, to a ride on the Polar Express, as well as contributing towards items for the home and garden creating wonderful and long-lasting memories for families by making their child’s dreams come true.

Ed Stubbs, Gripple’s Global Managing Director, said: “We are extremely proud of our people for all the effort they have made to raise funds for Create a Dream Foundation – what they’ve achieved is truly inspirational! What makes this so special is that individuals and teams within the business volunteered themselves for these challenges and did them, often in their own time and with real passion.

It is fantastic that our donation will mean the children who are facing such difficulties can enjoy extra special trips out with their family and friends.”

Ailsa Watson from Create a Dream Foundation said: “A huge thank you to everyone at Gripple for all being such amazing people! We are so grateful for your outstanding efforts in the past year – it is more than we could ever have hoped for!”

Throughout the year, Gripple employees have been involved in a wide variety of different fundraising activities, both for Create a Dream and other local charities. These include; a charity car wash, cycle challenge, 10k, half and full marathons, the GLIDE Fest Carnival fundraiser, ‘Wear it Pink’ Day, a virtual relay from John o’ Groats to Lands’ End, a dog walking challenge, charity football tournament, Peak District hiking Challenge, plus Cake sales, food sales and raffles across Gripple sites.

Gripple employees have also given up their time and put forward their skills to help in a number of community-based projects, supported by the Gripple Foundation. This includes helping out with decorating a house for Enable Sheffield, which supports people with physical and learning disabilities to becoming independent.

Employees also volunteered with projects such as a River Clean up at Norfolk Bridge, painting a barn for Whirlow Hall Farm Trust, redecoration and repainting for Support Dogs charity when it relocated its premises and creating a wildlife friendly garden for Clifford Primary School as well as helping out at Ben’s Centre, a Homeless Charity in Sheffield.

These activities are both motivational, enable team building and help create a strong sense of giving back to the local community.

An employee-owned business, Gripple is committed to its people and is dedicated to its unique culture – ‘the Gripple spirit’ that sets it apart. The company aims to employ people who share its values – of fun, innovation, passion, entrepreneurship, teamwork, integrity – who are invested in the shared purpose to be a fun, rewarding place to work.

The Gripple Foundation is the charitable arm of Gripple, which is proud to support local charities and good causes, helping to make a positive different in the community.