Gi Group Grimsby paves the way as a foster friendly business

Operations Manager at Gi Group Grimsby, David McCullagh, has driven the team’s partnership, leading a cause close to his heart. Recently the team of 6, located on George Street in Grimsby, collected an impressive 80 Easter eggs with the support of the local community, to share with foster children across the region.

Sharing the impact of fostering and the special connection he shares with this important initiative, David said: “My wife and I have been foster parents since September 2023, so have seen first-hand the importance and life changing impact that fostering can have. I’m proud of our team’s efforts and our partnership with the council to spread local awareness. Here at Gi Group, we are committed to supporting local charities, doing what we can to make a real difference across our local community.

“This new partnership is about shining a spotlight on the importance of fostering and helping children to get out of the care system. We are partnered with the council’s fostering team to show the impact of providing a safe and loving environment for a child facing a time of crisis or transition. This support ensures they have stability and the space they need to heal, grow and develop mentally and emotionally. In my personal experience, providing children with a strong foundation where they can grow to have a brighter future is a real privilege.”

North-East Lincolnshire’s fostering-friendly scheme encourages businesses and organisations across the region to support employees who are foster carers, or those who may choose to become foster carers in the future. The Fostering Network reports that a child comes into care every 20 minutes needing a foster family in the UK and there are 70,000 children living with 55,000 foster families.

David continued: “As a Foster Friendly business, we recognise the unique challenges foster parents face and offer flexible policies and accommodations to help balance work and family responsibilities. From flexible working hours to creating a supportive workplace culture, we work to ensure individuals have the support they require. There continues to be a high demand for foster families across the UK, but by supporting schemes like the one at North-East Lincolnshire Council, hopefully we can make a difference.

“Our recent donations marked our latest step to provide a helping hand and put a smile on children’s faces, but we hope our support as a Foster Friendly business shows our future goals and the importance of workplace support for fostering families. We’d love to see more businesses follow suit and pledge to become Foster Friendly too."

Gi Group is one of the UK’s leading and largest recruitment businesses, employing close to 260 people and serves more than 1000 clients across sectors from logistics and industrial to engineering and automotive from its 69 UK locations. Gi Group UK is uniquely committed to the creation of social and economic value for both employers and candidates alike. Gi Group Holding in the UK places one person in work every 90 seconds.