CR Clarke and Co, Ammanford -  providing teachers with experience of the latest industrial technologies.

Dominos Pizzas, Llanelli  – working with local schools to develop understanding of food, health, hygiene, safety and IT skills and raising money for local youth groups.

Fujitsu Services – business volunteers acting as mentors and reading partners, while also completing a team challenge to create an outdoor classroom for a local primary school.

Gomer Press, Llandysul – a long track record in local recruitment and skill building, including apprenticeships and work experience.

Harold Metcalf Partnership, Carmarthen - an architect practice which has provided pro bono support to Carmarthen Youth Project in developing their new premises.

Ddraig Fencing Llandeilo – for making this elite sport available to disadvantaged young people in the region.

Mike Hiorns Building Contractors – a small construction business with an outstanding track record in developing apprentices into top quality crafts people.

T R Richards, Ammanford – for the range of activity including apprenticeships, support as school Governors, work experience, donations of materials, school visits.

Tesco, Parc Trostre Llanelli – for the work led by their community champion and their Community Fair.

Town and Country Broadcasting – Radio Carmarthenshire – for their services to local sport and youth charities.

WRW Group – as a leader across Wales in the development of apprenticeships, sponsor of the Carmarthenshire Children’s Centre and as main sponsor of the Urdd’s sport development initiatives.

The Carmarthen Bi-Polar Self Help Group, the Carmarthen Awaydays, the town’s Women’s Refuge and the Towy Salmon swimming club will all be given £500 from this year’s race.

Other local groups may also benefit from the money raised. Entry forms will be printed in the Carmarthen Journal

Established in 1989, ProHelp is a UK network of over 600 professionals, from large corporate to SMEs including solicitors, accountants, architects, building surveyors. In Wales ProHelp operates across Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire, Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and Carmarthenshire.

Professional help for voluntary groups

BITC’s West Wales Co-ordinator, Catherine Palmer will be working closely with local agencies such as CAVS and the South West Wales ProHelp Network will complement the Skills Lending programme recently piloted by Giving Sir Gâr.

Peter Loughran, chair of Giving Sir Gar, said “A number of voluntary groups have benefitted from the expertise of staff from some of the leading companies in the county”.

The recent Giving Sir Gâr grant scheme is designed to encourage voluntary groups to develop links with business with a view to skills sharing, employee volunteering and other joint initiatives. The next round of the grant scheme will be held towards the end of March.

If you would like more information about these programmes please contact:

Catherine Palmer, BITC, Tel 07715 510390 www.prohelp.org.uk, www.bitc.org.uk

Giving Sir Gâr, Tel 01554 777112, or givingsirgar@cavs.org.uk

If so you could nominate someone for the Evening Post Pride Awards.

The categories include:

• Community Champion
• Charity Champion
• Good Neighbour
• Carer of the Year

Employees at Castell Howell, based at the Food Park, have joined in the Donate Don’t Dump campaign organised by Cancer Research Wales.

People are being asked to give unwanted clothes to charity rather than throw them away – instead take them to a charity shop

The Co-operative Group is also donating £50,000 to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Appeal for the victims.

Chairman of the C0-operative Cymru / Welsh board Martin Morris said ‘On behalf of our businesses and members in Wales, we are delighted the Co-operative is making this donation’