When a Norfolk charity found itself in difficulties back in 2013, a local telecoms business stepped in to help.
Local businesses working to support each other is so important in a competitive marketplace, where there are huge corporations and the odd unscrupulous supplier to contend with. This community spirit was seen in action with Norfolk charity Musical Keys and Portal Voice & Data, a local telecoms business.
Norwich based charity, Musical Keys, provides music and arts based activities for people of all ages with disabilities and additional needs, across Norfolk. Over 27 years, they have developed a comprehensive programme enabling participants to develop personal and social skills, build confidence and express themselves through enjoyable, interactive sessions. Their groups also offer a support network to parents, carers and families.
The charity sector is a challenging place in which to thrive and in 2013 Musical Keys came across some difficulties with their telephony supplier but with help and support from Portal Voice & Data, the small Norfolk charity was able to continue its work, providing access to music and creative opportunities for its service users.
Portal is a telecommunications business also based in Norwich. Founded in 1996, they supply and maintain telecommunication and data solutions with a consultative approach, offering their expertise to provide the best possible solution for each of their customers.
When they caught wind of Musical Keys’ story, the Managing Director John Corney knew he needed to offer his help;
“We were delighted to address some significant overcharging from a competitor and to support the work of this excellent charity.”
Since their initial partnership, Portal has continued to carry out maintenance on the Musical Keys phone system free of charge, with the pledge to support future telephony and data needs.
John Corney and his staff have also continued to fundraise for the charity, most recently via their ‘Charity Parking Sale’. The company has rented out their parking spaces at Portal HQ, close to Carrow Road, to dedicated Norwich City FC supporters. The spaces are available for the duration of the football season, for home fixtures, at a cost of £100. This year the parking spaces sold in record time and raised a total of £1,300.00 for Musical Keys.
Alison Cooper, Fundraiser for Musical Keys praised Portal for its ongoing commitment “Longstanding corporate partnerships are increasingly hard to come by for small charities like ours. There is a great deal of competition for corporate support in the charity sector and we count ourselves very lucky to have developed such a significant relationship with Portal. From their initial support in 2013, they have continued to show their commitment to contributing to our work. It’s made a huge difference to what we have been able to achieve.”