Firm offers help to aspiring young photographers (From Worcester News)

Firm offers help to aspiring young photographers

4:10pm Monday 19th December 2011 in Biz By Mike Pryce

WORCESTERSHIRE construction giant Thomas Vale is helping a group of aspiring young photographers.

The company has forged a new relationship with the Emily Jordan Foundation. Both parties are based on Finepoint Way, Kidderminster, where Thomas Vale are on site constructing the new Wyre Forest District Council headquarters.

The Emily Jordan Foundation helps individuals with moderate learning and physical disabilities to lead valued and fulfilled lives.

On leaving full-time education, many with learning difficulties find it almost impossible to secure skills training and find paid employment, especially in a competitive workplace.

Four students at the foundation have an interest in photography and to enable them to fulfil their aspirations, they have been invited to visit the Thomas Vale site once a month to take progress photography of the build and create their own portfolio.

Tony Hyde, group managing director of Thomas Vale Construction, said: “As an ethical business we believe it is important to give back to the communities in which we work.

“To be able to work alongside the Emily Jordan Foundation, it gives us great pleasure to give them the help and support they need to succeed and progress in the future. They thoroughly enjoyed taking photographs, and for most, it is something they would like to pursue in the future.”

Chris Jordan, chairman of the trustees of the foundation, said: “We are very pleased that Thomas Vale have chosen the Emily Jordan Foundation as its local partner charity.

“It is a business that is well known for its community work, with one of the primary focuses of the foundation being aimed at helping this very disadvantaged group to enter the workplace, we are sure this relationship will be very constructive and rewarding for all involved. We are looking forward to working with Thomas Vale in the future in all sorts of creative ways.”