Connect Reading
An “awesome team” which "makes Reading a better place to live every day”.
Connect Reading has been nominated for Team of the Year sponsored by Cherubs Floral Design.
The cross-sector network brings together businesses, non-profits, education and public sector organisations to share resources.
Members said: “For such a small team, they achieve the work of many.”
“I think the work you do is brilliant! especially the giving schemes”
“You are an awesome team, keep doing what you're doing, you make Reading a better place to live every day.”
A nominator said the team consists of three part-timers (a full time equivalent of 1.1) but their output rivals that of a full department and they are regularly told it is hard to believe how much they deliver.
They run monthly networking events, regular training for charities and businesses, an environmental clean-up campaign and a Resource Xchange, matching surplus goods and services with those in need.
They facilitate corporate volunteering and offer tailored advice and connections across charity, business, education and public sectors.
They run two major giving campaigns: the Giving Tree, where they source and deliver over 2,000 bespoke Christmas gifts worth over £30,000 to local charity beneficiaries, and the Summer Giving Appeal, which raises funds for supermarket vouchers for families during school holidays.
Whether it is answering WhatsApp messages late at night or juggling tasks to help each other through family emergencies (they all have school-aged children), they are united by a shared purpose; making Reading a more connected and compassionate place.
Connect Reading has also been put forward for Charity of the Year, sponsored by Reading Today.
A trailblazing charity with a mission to build a more connected, compassionate and sustainable community, Connect Reading has had an outstanding year, said the nomination..
In 2024 Connect Reading facilitated over £1.6m worth of in-kind donations and pro-bono support, directly benefitting local schools and charities with over 750 bespoke projects and connections.
“The charity’s collaborative approach doesn’t simply support local organisations, it empowers them to build capacity, develop local relationships, and amplify their voice.”
Their monthly events brought together over 100 local organisations to offer professional coaching, training and networking opportunities, sparking partnerships that continue well beyond the room.
“Connect Reading embodies the spirit of Pride of Reading – transformative, resilient and relentlessly community-focused,” said the nomination.