Community and Charity Work
Pavers are proud to retain a strong sense of community and continue to work closely supporting not only their local community but the world at large.
The company also prides itself on being ethical and places much stock in continuing to do so, no matter how rapid its expansion. This philanthropic approach to business is reflected in the long list of sponsorships and charitable activities the family carries out.
Sponsorships
Pavers are also proud to be sponsoring York Hospital until August 2010, as well as maintaining their support to many local sporting events and teams, including tennis, rugby and golf.
Head Office and Distribution Centre
In October 2006, Pavers celebrated the ‘Grand Opening’ of their New Head Office and state-of-the-art distribution centre in Upper Poppleton, York, just 200 yards from their previous site.
Working in conjunction with the Carbon Trust, the building incorporates high quality insulation, energy efficient heating, motion sensored and energy efficient lighting, and a rainwater collection system.
In Store
Pavers have recently replaced their old plastic bags with brand new 100% biodegradable plastic bags. As well as the more eco-friendly plastic bag option, Pavers also have attractive fabric shopping bags available.
Not only are Pavers focused on making sure that their bags are eco-friendly, they also encourage customers to leave their shoe boxes behind for Pavers to recycle the cardboard.
Charity Support
In 2006 Pavers teamed up with Fly Flot to create an exclusive design to help raise money for Marie Curie Cancer Care. The sandal, featuring the Charity’s trademark daffodil, and over 5,000 pairs were sold. By donating 30% of the proceeds from each sandal to the campaign, Pavers raised a total donation value of a staggering £45,000!
Marie Curie Cancer Care provides high quality nursing, totally free, to give terminally ill people the choice of dying at home, and supports individuals who have suffered the loss of loved ones through cancer. We’re proud to have played a part in helping such an important cause.
Pavers joined forces with Fly Flot in 2008, to produce a new range of ladies sandals for Cancer Research UK. Not only will the lightweight sandals be ideal for those blissful summer days, but with a generous 30% donation to the charity from every pair bought, you can treat your feet and fund lifesaving work to help beat cancer at the same time.
Renowned for their anatomic and self-moulding technology, Fly Flot's provide proper support and are the most comfortable sandals on the market. As well as being shock absorbing, anti-bacterial and incredibly lightweight, the high quality leather and classic Italian styling means they’re perfect for anyone who loves their feet. Two styles of Fly Flot sandal have been produced to raise money for Cancer Research UK, both featuring the charity’s arrow logo.
A fantastic £21,000 has been raised for Cancer Research by Pavers, help us reach the phenomenal £45,000 mark which we achieved for Marie Cure Cancer Care!
Third World Support
For more than 10 years, Pavers has sponsored children to give them a better start in life. The money raised ensures they receive an education they would not normally get.
You can read more about three of these children, Ilboudo, Allan and Sangeetha, by clicking on their pictures below
Ilboudo Djeneba
My name is Ilboudo Djeneba, I live in Burkina Fas in Western Africa, North of Ghana.
- Population: 13 million
- Literacy: 26.6%
- Life Expectancy: 44.2 years
- % Below Poverty line: 45%
Burkina fasco, formerly know as Upper Volta, achieved independence from France in 1960. It is one of the poorest countries in the world. Over 90 per cent of its population rely on subsistence farming, which has suffered from recurring droughts. Employment is scarce and over two million people work in neighbouring countries, mostly in Ivory Coast.
One of the biggest challenges in Burkina Faso is lack of Healthcare: there are only three doctors for every 100,000 people. Malaria, diarrhoea, malnutrition and respiratory infections are the biggest threats to children's lives.
Because of the scarcity in educational resources and families' need for a better life, many children in Burkina Faso work either as domestic servants, in agriculture or mining industry. They are also used as market traders, beggars or prostitutes. Children migrate to neighbouring countries to offers services in menial jobs or they are trafficked to work in cocoa plantations. Girls have even less opportunities than boys: female gender roles and child trafficking often force girls into labour or early marriage.
Around 40 per cent of the population still practice their traditional religion, animism, and half of the population professes Islam as their faith. Most Christians in Burkina Faso are Roman Catholics; the largest evangelical denomination is the Assemblies of God church.
Compassion's ministry in Burkina Faso started in 2004. Through Compassion's programmes children will get regular medical check ups, hygiene training, dental care, supplemental nutrition and educational opportunities, enabling them to become responsible, fulfilled adults.
Allan Njenga
My name is Allan Njenga, I live in Kenya in Eastern Africa, Bordering the Indian Ocean.
- Population: 32 million
- Literacy: 85.1%
- Life Expectancy: 44.9 years
- % Below Poverty Line: 50%
Kenya, the regional hub for trade and finance in East Africa, is hampered by corruption and reliance upon several primary goods whose prices continue to decline. A severe drought from 1999 to 2000 compounded Kenya's problems reducing agricultural output.
The Kenyan elite has mainly been concerned about retaining power and amassing wealth. The endemic corruption is gradually ruining the infrastructure, devastating whole industries and drying up the flow of foreign finance. President Mwai Kibaki, who come to power in 2002, has pledged to tackle the corruption.
Other challenges include high unemployment, crime and poverty. With more than half of Kenya's population living on less than $1 a day, many youngsters move to the cities in search of jobs but end up on the streets. it is estimated that there are about 250,000 street children in the country.
Many more children have been orphaned by Aids. The HIV virus has become a silent disaster with about 14 per cent of the population infected. Another issue affecting Kenyan children is child labour: the country has more than 1.9 million children working as casual labourers, mostly without pay.
Compassion's ministry in Kenya began in 1980. Currently there are over 38,000 registered children in over 130 projects. In 2004, in addition to the normal project activities, Compassion supported more than 15,000 families badly affected by drought by providing extra food supplies.
Sangeetha
My name is Sangeetha, I live in India in Southern Asia, between Burma and Pakistan.
- Population: 1 billion
- Literacy: 59.5%
- Life Expectancy: 63.9 years
- % Below Poverty Line: 25%
India's economic growth accelerated in the 1990s but has been offset by high birth rate, illiteracy, widespread corruption and bureaucratic inefficiency. Although india has large numbers of well-educated people, over 600million people live in deep poverty.
The Hindu caste system is a major unresolved issue. Caste discrimination is forbidden by the constitution, but it pervades all religous and social structures in India.
India has more people groups with no contract with Christians or Christianity than any other part of the world. Since most Christians are from dalit and tribal communities, the average Hindu associates the gospel with the society's underclass. The resurgence of the Hindu extreme nationalist movements has resulted in religous violence and demands for anti-conversion legislation and retrictions on Christian activites.
Of India's nearly 400 million children, an estimated 70 million are child labourers, 13 million are homeless and 2 million are street children without families. There are over 500,000 child prostitutes and a massive trade in Bangladeshi and Nepali girls sold into prostitution.
Compassion's work in Southern India started in 1968. More than 50,000 children are now sponsored through 224 projects. In 2002, Compassion opened another office in East India, which is serving the north eastern states home to more than 45 million tribal peoples living in abject poverty. Compassion East India has registered more than 16,000 children in over 80 projects.
