A leading Derby IT social enterprise providing services to more than 250 schools, academy trusts and businesses around the UK is one of a growing list of businesses to take on the cleaning services of award-winning Upbeat Clean.
L.E.A.D. IT Services, which provides technical support and procurement across the UK, has signed on Kings Award winning social enterprise Upbeat Clean to provide cleaning services in its offices on Pride Park.
Upbeat Clean provides Living Wage employment to people who have come to the UK in search of refuge and asylum, through its parent charity Upbeat Communities.
A team of three from Upbeat Clean are now coming into the offices of L.E.A.D. IT Services, which donates thousands of pounds of its profits to schools in some of Derby’s most deprived areas every year. The team are keeping L.E.A.D. IT’s offices spick and span, along with other businesses in the area.
L.E.A.D. IT Services managing director Lee Jepson, who is passionate about giving back to the Derby community through employing young apprentices plus a range of other initiatives including cooking meals at the YMCA, said working with Upbeat Clean was an obvious choice.
He said: “For me, this is about giving everybody opportunities. A company’s cleaning budget is its smallest but Upbeat Clean proves it can have the biggest impact on people’s lives. When I heard the story behind Upbeat Clean, I felt it made absolute sense for us to work with them on our cleaning.
“We’re really happy with the service provided by our cleaning manager Zamira and her friendly team.”
L.E.A.D. IT Services is one of many Derby organisations which now employ Upbeat Clean, including Vaillant Live, Derby County Community Trust and Derby Museums.
Heading up the team at L.E.A.D. IT Services is cleaning manager Zamira, who arrived in the UK as an asylum seeker and struggled to find work before coming across Upbeat Clean.
She said: “After I got my VISA I was looking for a job – I needed just to start working. There are very nice people at L.E.A.D. IT Services and I feel very happy when I have a shift here.”
Upbeat Clean managing director Michael Gladwell said: “I’ve known Zamira for ten years now and it’s been incredible to see her grow from someone who was shy and needed to learn English to the person she is today. It’s been a joy to watch her develop.
“We’re delighted to be providing our cleaning team to L.E.A.D. IT Services, an excellent social enterprise doing great things for the city of Derby. We couldn’t be happier that so many companies believe in the work we are trying to do here at Upbeat Clean, transforming lives and empowering people. I’ve long been an admirer of Lee and the work he is doing at L.E.A.D. IT Services, giving back to school children in the city in so many ways. It makes perfect sense for us to be working together.”
Earlier this year Upbeat Clean won a rare and coveted Kings Award for Enterprise for Promoting Opportunity through Social Mobility, in recognition of its outstanding work.
This story was written and shared on behalf of L.E.A.D. IT Services by Lucy Stephens. Can we share your news and get you in the headlines too? Find out how we can help by getting in touch.
