With the country currently in the midst of a cost of living crisis, budgets across the public and private sector are being squeezed.
Schools in Greater Manchester are no different and that means tough choices are needing to be made across the board. Fortunately some education establishments in our area and beyond are being helped through these challenges by Salford -based charity CPL Group.
The not-for-profit organisation started their 'Giving Back' scheme in 2019 and since then has donated £1m to more than 100 initiatives for schools, colleges, academies and universities nationwide, helping them to provide quality learning tools during a time of financial struggles. St John Rigby College in Wigan is one of the establishments which has benefitted from the scheme.
CPL Group helped fund the college to allow them to purchase hi-tech sport science equipment for their students including GPS player vests which are used by professional football clubs across the world to track players' performance. Peter McGhee, Principal of St John Rigby College, praised the initiative and explained how it has helped his pupils.
"Our students have massively benefited from the CPL Giving Back funding," he explained. "It’s been a joy to see them using the fitness tests, the reaction pods but in particular for me the GPS vests and the VO camera.
"The importance of performance analysis technology is key to our success and for students now being able to use industry-wide standard technology has been key to raise the aspirations of our students at the beginning of their sporting careers and helping us fulfil our mission."
Sport is not the only area which CPL Group has helped provide funds for. Hopwood Hall College in Rochdale received funding from the charity to help purchase equipment for their environmentally friendly enrichment programmes.
Principal and CEO of the college, Julia Heap said: "We really appreciate the generous contribution that the CPL Group made to our technology provision through its Giving Back scheme. The funding has supported us to acquire some advanced technology equipment, including our Eco-house, which is enabling students to advance their skills to get ready for employment, an apprenticeship or Higher Education.
"This contribution comes as we continue to invest in the expansion of our state-of-the-art Technology Centre in readiness for the new and transformative skills that are so crucial to the green agenda. The CPL Giving Back contribution has really helped to enhance our students’ learning experiences."
CPL Group's work with education providers has seen them receive backing from Team GB Olympian Kriss Akabusi MBE. The 64-year-old benefitted from a similar charity's work when he was at school and he shall be attending the CPL Group's Conference this week as the charity's ambassador.
Speaking about his role and why he is supporting CPL Group, Akabusi said: "Being the keynote speaker at the forthcoming ‘CPL Giving Back to the Future’ 2022 conference, will be an honour. I look forward with anticipation to meeting some of the students who have benefited from the CPL Group’s charitable work as beneficiaries.
"The work of the charity is far-reaching and has clearly touched the lives of so many students, who might not have benefited otherwise. The broad spectrum of initiatives supported, demonstrates the significant impact this funding is having, I personally am looking forward to seeing what the next funding window of opportunities brings."
To find out more about the CPL Group's work, you can visit their website here.
