Sammy Christmas presents
Tuesday, 1st Dec 2015DAFC is delighted to announce that it has now received a special stock of items for our club shop, just in time for Christmas.
We are able to offer to our younger fans a limited stock of 50 Sammy the Tammy mugs and key rings. These items were hand made by a special group of people from Re-Employ in Crosshill.
Re-Employ was only started on 6 April 2015, and is not just any company. It helps a number of vulnerable people who have to face their own personal challenges. It came out of the ashes of the former Remploy factory in Cowdenbeath.
When Remploy finally closed the doors on their premises in Cowdenbeath, on 13th September 2013, only 39 staff remained. Luckily enough 30 were redeployed, 3 retired, but that left 5 staff. Sadly, they were the most vulnerable with a number of special needs or requirements.
However, through the dedicated efforts and hard work of Irene Donaldson, and a number of volunteers, they managed to secure funding for a laser machine, mug machine and started a skills training programme for 6 months, to give the five individuals a purpose, and a future.
The operation can now produce bespoke mugs, keyrings, fairy doors, nameplates and wooden business cards. DAFC has taken a small order of mugs and key rings to support this fantastic initiative.
Irene Donaldson, Founder stated:-
"Re-Employ Limited is delighted to have been given the opportunity to take forward our first major order from DAFC and hope this partnership will develop and grow. The employees have been proud to take forward this opportunity and it has given them a great sense of pride and self-worth. We were delighted when Ross came out to see us a few months ago, and by agreeing to work with us, gave the group a renewed purpose”
Irene was a Disability Employment Adviser with DWP then became a Personal Case Worker responsible for ex Remploy employees, at the Cowdenbeath office. Once the factory had closed down, and Irene had finished her secondment she could easily have returned to her normal role and left the five remaining employees to fend for themselves. However, she refused to do so, and gave up her job to try and source funding to try and give them some form of security and future.
Irene explains “I had built a bond with them all, and did not want to let them down at that point, they would have been vulnerable as no one believed in them.”
Ross McArthur, DAFC’s Managing Director highlighted:-
"I have been lucky enough to have been out to see the Re-employ staff on a couple of occasions now, and see myself the fantastic job that Irene, and her dedicated group of volunteers are undertaking. It was very humbling to see the welcoming spirit and camaraderie within the group, and despite the challenges faced by the employees it is a real family atmosphere.
"It is clear that by increased self-confidence, obtained through listening to their needs and engaging with them individually and collectively, a positive outcome or end result can be achieved by the employees just believing in themselves.
"It is difficult for our club to purchase stock items for our club shop, in small quantities, so the arrangement with Re-employ works well for our point of view. Obviously, as a community club it also allows us to help support a worthwhile initiative at the same time.
"I am sure the Sammy the Tammy mugs and key rings will be popular as Christmas presents, and I would urge our fan base to support this worthy cause, particularly at this time of the year”
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