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This page was last updated at Sunday, November 1, 2009

Fawley Refinery - Transport secured for popular club

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A social club for adults with learning difficulties has had its future secured for another year, thanks to the long-term involvement of two of its volunteers, who work at Fawley Refinery.

 

The Gateway Club, which gives its 45 members the opportunity to get together on a social basis each fortnight, has secured the funds to keep a minibus on the road for another 12 months.

 

The club, which is a lifeline to its members, received a £750 grant from Esso and ExxonMobil Chemical at Fawley in recognition of the time and effort the two employees have put into volunteering with the group.

 

The grant applicants were Nigel Cooper, who works as a process co-ordinator and Paul Collis, a process operations supervisor, at the Refinery.

 

Nigel is the treasurer of the club and drives the minibus which provides members and their carers with safe transport to each meeting at Oak Lodge School in Dibden Purlieu. Paul Collis is the club leader.

 

Nigel said: “Without the minibus the club wouldn’t exist.

 

It is essential that members are collected from their front door and then taken home safely at the end of the evening. Year on year costs rise and without the help we receive from organisations like ExxonMobil, the club just wouldn’t be able to continue.

 

“For some of our members, it is the main opportunity they get to go out and socialise. They look forward to attending the club and this is reflected by the fact some have been coming for over 20 years.”

 

As well as the fortnightly meetings the club enables members to participate in a range of events and days out.

 

This year they are planning a trip to the Isle of Wight, a skittles evening and they are working towards staging a talent show ‘Gateway’s Got Talent’.

 

The money has been donated under a special scheme designed to recognise the efforts of ExxonMobil employees and their families who contribute their time, talent and energy to schools, charities and non-profit making organisations.

 

The scheme not only helps local organisations, but also improves the links between ExxonMobil and the local community.

 

The ExxonMobil Volunteer Involvement Programme at Fawley, together with its sister scheme for school governors, has so far contributed more than £400,000 to local community projects, since it was started six years ago.

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