LOCAL charities and community initiatives across Northumberland have benefited from a helping hand thanks to a pharmaceutical company.
The Specials Laboratory, which makes unlicensed medicines – known as ‘specials’ – has worked closely with Community Foundation to donate thousand of pounds to a variety of good causes over the last year.
Recent donations from the specialist drug manufacturer have assisted several charities, including IT equipment for the Prudhoe Air Cadets and monthly therapy for Carers Northumberland.
The Community Foundation is a charitable trust that was set-up to benefit communities particularly in Tyne & Wear and Northumberland. It has managed fund applications on behalf of The Specials Laboratory, which has donated around £85,000 in the last five years.
Su Legg, fund manager at Community Foundation, said: “The Specials Laboratory has shown its commitment to its local community through its grant making programmes. Since 2005 its donations have contributed towards 70 grants, which have led to community benefit.
“In 2010, its staff panel awarded £5,000 and made seven grants, which included a trip to the Alan Shearer Centre for visually impaired children and contributed towards a counselling service for young people,” added Su.
One of the UK’s leading makers of unlicensed medicines, which are tailor-made for individual patients and supplied through dispensaries, The Specials Laboratory looks after thousands of pharmacy and hospital customers across the UK and Ireland, delivering around 95% of specials within 24 hours.
The pharmaceutical company donates a set amount to the Community Foundation each year to support local charities. The company then assigns an in-house committee that decides how and where to allocate funds.
Jan Armstrong, marketing manager at The Specials Laboratory, said: “Funding applications from the Northumberland area are presented to our volunteer panel of around six staff by Community Foundation. The committee then discuss and decide which of the registered charities to support before allocating the fund.
“It is a great honour for staff involved to be able to provide tangible support to worthwhile projects in the same community that many of them both live and work. We feel The Specials Lab is part of the local community and so it’s only right that we give back as much as we can. ”
Over the last decade, the firm has played an active role in the local community, including engagement with schools, colleges and universities. Aside from its specials supply, it also manufacturers veterinary specials and products for hospital-based IMP’s and supplies custom over labelled medicines and special obtain items.
