The UK is fortunate to have leading infrastructure facilities in an established economy but when disaster strikes, what role should UK PLCs play in supporting these communities?

The ‘Costain Cares’ strategy ensures Costain is thinking about how we can enable others to rebuild their lives. We work with many charities and CARE International is one way in which we aim to improve lives by addressing global needs.

Costain offered a chance for staff to challenge themselves physically, as well as mentally, in support of this worthy cause. After months of fundraising, on 6 July 2013, two teams of eight brave souls met early in Somerset to tackle the marathon course of a 10 mile run, 15 mile cycle ride and a two mile canoe on probably the hottest day of the year. Despite the sweat, cramps and monstrous hills both Costain teams finished the full course in respectable times (one slightly more respectable than the other, not that there was any competitiveness between the teams)!

The two teams raised £2,675 and the event raised £70,000 in total. The funds raised from the CARE Construction Challenge help the charity to support many of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people. Construction is a key theme in CARE’s work – whether it’s providing emergency shelter for victims of natural disasters, rebuilding disaster resistant buildings, training communities in improved construction techniques or focussing on water and sanitation. Currently, CARE is working in the Philippines to support survivors of the recent typhoon with lifesaving emergency assistance and will help families to rebuild their homes and livelihoods in the months and years to come. CARE is also supporting many of the 2.5 million Syrian refugees who have fled their homes by constructing community centres in the Azraq refugee camp, in Jordan, to offer a focal point for information services and a vital social hub for thousands of families.

It will also help refugees living in urban areas to survive bitterly cold winter conditions by providing materials to keep the most vulnerable refugees warm.

The CARE Construction Challenge will be running again in 2014, this time in the Forest of Dean. For more information and to sign up for the challenge please visit the website below.

http://www.carechallenge.org.uk/charity-challenges/multi-activity/care-construction-challenge