Lafarge Cauldon supports the local community during the Coronavirus pandemic

Taking swift action in responding to a call out for vital PPE supplies by two nearby medical surgeries, Waterhouses Medical Practice and Alton Medical Practice, the team donated a number of professional masks, gloves and sanitisers to each surgery, both of which have served many of the local team’s staff and families over the years, helping operations to continue as safely as possible.

Lafarge Cauldon supports the Moorlands Community Minibus Association, which provides a voluntary transport scheme for people living in and around Waterhouses, via the donation of fuel. During the pandemic the team of volunteer drivers have been delivering prescriptions, free of charge,  to the elderly and those shielding due to health concerns. With the loss of a council grant last year, the running costs of the scheme have had to be met entirely from donations and fundraising, which has meant the generous provision of fuel by Lafarge Cauldon has become even more vital and without which the scheme could probably no longer operate.

The company also donates fuel to the Waterhouses First Responders, which provides emergency medical support around the Staffordshire Moorlands. In rural areas, there is a danger that an ambulance may be delayed in reaching a patient, but because the First Responders are local, they can get to an incident far faster than an ambulance and are fully trained to provide emergency care until the ambulance arrives.

In addition, Lafarge Cement recently donated cement to Waterhouses CE Primary Academy & Nursery to ensure they could complete some maintenance projects at the school. 

Ann Mundy, from the Moorlands Community Minibus Association, said: “I’d like to thank Lafarge Cauldon on behalf of all the volunteer drivers and passengers of the minibus for your ongoing provision of fuel. Without it we would be really struggling to keep going. We lost our grant from the County Council last year and we are now having to rely on donations and fundraising to cover our costs.”

Kate Robotham, Practice Manager at Waterhouses Medical Practice, said: "The donation of FFP3 masks and nitrile gloves given to us by Cauldon Cement Plant demonstrates the generosity and support of the local community and businesses during this difficult time. The donation has enabled us to continue to see as many patients as possible during the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic particularly when delivery of centrally sourced PPE equipment was delayed.  We look after 3,000 patients in and around the Waterhouses area and this donation has been gratefully received by both patients and staff alike."

Lafarge Cauldon Plant Manager, Stuart Hutchings, added: “For us, supporting the local community in which many of our colleagues are part of, has always been a priority. Now, more than ever, we must work together as a community to ensure we can support each other during these challenging times.”

Lafarge Cement is part of Aggregate Industries, which is itself owned by LafargeHolcim.