Two businesses in Burnley have joined forces to deliver a series of financial wellness sessions to employees as part of their wider mental health and wellbeing commitment.
Manufacturing giant VEKA plc first started conversations with PM+M (chartered accountants and financial planners) some three years ago. As a people-focussed business, living their values of ‘we care, we act’, VEKA’s HR team engaged with PM+M’s Neil Welsh with a view to deliver in-person financial wellness sessions to their team.
I’m sure we all know what happened next and why the in-person sessions didn’t happen for quite some time, but thankfully the two Burnley Bondholders were recently able to get together. Over the past month, Neil has delivered six hour-long sessions to VEKA employees, covering budgeting hints and tips, financial planning and understanding tax, as well as much more.
Neil told Burnley.co.uk: “The sessions have been well received and link nicely with the mental health and wellbeing sessions being delivered to VEKA by Dave Scholes of Six Connections, who I was able to introduce to the company. Mental health is important no matter what, but sometimes financial health can be overlooked as a key part of overall wellbeing. However, we’re aware that in the current climate, financial concerns may be heightened for people, and these sessions hopefully help people feel prepared and more in control.”
Gabriela Hammond, head of human resources at VEKA, added: “The mental health and wellbeing of our employees is a priority and we’re delighted that PM+M was able to address the financial health side of wellbeing. We all learnt something and it’s great to know there is support out there should people require it, no matter their circumstances.”
VEKA part of the worldwide VEKA Group, currently has a 390-strong workforce at its site on Rossendale Road, in the design, development and production of PVC-U products to the construction sector supplying customers nationwide.
Gabriela explained: “We have a talented workforce and the growth of Burnley as a university town certainly plays a key role in this. Logistically, it is second to none. Burnley is at the centre of the UK, and we have customers from the top of Scotland down to Exeter and beyond. And, you may not know this, but the M62 is something of a plastics and windows corridor and of course the M65 easily connects to that network.”
PM+M has over 100 years of experience in advising local business owners and individuals and is proud to be recognised as one of the leading firms in the North West. It operates in Blackburn, Bury and The Apex Centre at The Landmark, the former Burnley Grammar School on School Lane.