Sarah Winterbottom, Managing Director of Josero Ltd, Champions the Printing Charity

Why is the Printing Charity a cause that is so important to you? 

Particularly at such a difficult time for the industry, I just think it’s important to shine a light on the work that the Printing Charity does, providing an enormous amount of support through resources, funding, education, impartial advice and guidance, and more, all across the UK. Knowing that there is a service that everyone in the print sector can turn to in a time of need is a real comfort. At Josero, we’re proud to be members and encourage other businesses in the industry to join up as well, completely free of charge. 

What are some of the ways they’re helping people at this uncertain time? 

Young people are heading out into a really turbulent job market, probably the worst we’ve seen in a long time. The Printing Charity does a huge amount of work to support young talent in print to progress up the ladder and meet their career goals, which is making a bigger difference than ever. The Rising Star Awards, previously Print Futures, offers grants for those aged 18-30 to put towards costs such as training, equipment, or accreditation. They also work closely with other organisations to support bursaries and apprenticeships, as well as providing a wealth of practical, emotional, and financial support.

What are some of the other ways that they help the industry?

I encourage everyone to take a look at some of the personal stories on the Printing Charity website as it gives such heartening examples of the real transformation they make in people’s lives. They can make a significant difference through grants for household needs such as fridges, cookers, furniture, and beds, as well as support with living expenses for those recovering from illness or out of employment. They also introduced an emergency COVID-19 grant for those who might not ordinarily qualify for financial support. 

It’s not just financial of course, The Printing Charity has a 24/7 helpline for our industry for when you need to hear a friendly and helpful voice on the other end of the phone, and they can also signpost anyone to other external resources they may need. You might think if you’ve left the industry they can’t help but that’s not the case, even if you have retired or moved out of the industry, they are there for you. For anything else I might have missed visit theprintingcharity.org.uk! 

How can businesses and individuals get involved with the charity? 

Supporting the charity is easy. The best thing to do is to get in touch and see how you can help them but also how they might be able to help you. Send an email to helpline@theprintingcharity.org.uk or call 01293 542820. You can amplify the brilliant work they do by connecting with them on social and staying up to date with them by signing up for their newsletter, all of which is on their website too. Let’s all get behind this fantastic resource for print!