Sussex's Carpenter Box celebrates centenary with target-beating fundraise

Published by

Giles Gwinnett

Left to right on back row - John Billings, Carpenter Box senior partner; Alan Edwards, managing partner; Ian Wilkins, Crawley Open House. Front row – Debbie Watkins, West Sussex MIND; Nick Munday, Red Balloon; Sue Harris, Turning Tides; and Robin Evans, partner and CBCF trustee - picture contributed

Sussex-based accountancy and financial advice practice Carpenter Box has raised £82,000 for local charities in the firm's centenary year - smashing its original target of £50,000.

The firm has offices in Worthing, Brighton, Chichester, Crawley and London and its Carpenter Box charitable foundation (CBCF), started in 2009, has now raised more than £350,000 in support of local grass roots charities, which often find fundraising challenging.

"My sincere thanks go out to all our people for their commitment and creativity in making 2023 a fitting celebration of our firm’s 100 years in business," said John Billings, senior partner at Carpenter Box.

"We were clear at the outset that in our centenary year we wanted to support the work of local charities focused on poverty, community and opportunity – and through the support from our sponsors and the endeavours of our staff in raising £82,000, far exceeding our initial target, we know that many disadvantaged people will now be helped to live their best possible lives."

Fundraising activities ranged from an event throwing sponges at partners, a LGTBQIA+ gaymes day, sponsored walks, and a book swap.

Among the recipients who shared £30,000 in donations were education charity Red Balloon, West Sussex MIND, homeless charity Turning Tides - all based in Worthing.

Another was Crawley Open House, which provides a hostel for 55 people every night.

In the coming months, the CBCF will also provide donations to more than 30 local community and voluntary groups supporting some of the most vulnerable people in society, added the firm.

Carpenter Box offers a comprehensive range of services to businesses and private clients in Sussex and the South East, including cloud and digital solutions as well as an outsourced finance function. It also has an international offering.

In 2011, the firm launched Starbox – a fully serviced accounting and business advice offering for new media entrepreneurs, social influencers and rising stars.

Visit Hampshire Biz News for bright, upbeat and positive business news from the county

Giles Gwinnett

Giles Gwinnett is a writer at The Business Magazine. He has been a journalist for more than 20 years and covered a vast array of topics at a range of media settings - in print and online. After his NCTJ newspaper training, he became a reporter in Hampshire before moving to a news agency in Gloucestershire. In recent years, he has been covering the financial markets along with company news for an investor-focused web portal. His many interests include politics, energy and the environment. He lives in Dorset.