BRACE (the Bath Rotary Alliance of Charities and Enterprises) has announced it’s moving away from conventional fundraising models and instead offering local companies a practical way to address core business challenges—such as staff training, team engagement, and creative thinking—by commissioning services directly from local charities.
Conceived initially by Bath Rotarians Chris Davies and David Rowlands, BRACE draws on decades of the pair’s expertise across the SME and non-profit sectors to create a mutually beneficial framework where both sides exchange genuine commercial value.
“In our experience working with small and medium-sized businesses, the biggest hurdle to taking community action is finding the time to focus and identify the right resources or opportunities, amid daily operational pressures,” says Chris. “There can be fear of a culture clash, from both charities and business. Charities fear being exploited. Enterprises worry that charities simply want money. But in our experience, that is generally not the case.
“BRACE offers a practical solution: business leaders can address real commercial needs in their organisation, while simultaneously delivering direct impact into their local community.”
Instead of requesting standard corporate donations, participating charities have created professional services designed to solve key workplace issues:
• Bath Artists’ Studios: A hands-on workshop led by professional artists to foster creative problem-solving and innovation in teams.
• Bath Community Kitchen: A culinary team-building experience where staff cook a shared meal together under the guidance of professional chefs.
• Mentoring Plus: Expert-led mentor training focused on building resilient mindsets, leadership skills, and shared purpose across teams.
• Bath Rotary Club: Opportunities for a team to work alongside the Club, delivering one of its major fundraising public events, such as the annual Fireworks on the Rec.
“Many business leaders want to give back to the community where they operate, and we know through Rotary that local charities house incredible, entrepreneurial talent,” explains David Rowlands. “BRACE acts as a bridge. The fee paid by a business secures a high-quality training or team development opportunity, and that revenue goes straight into the charity, helping fund critical local services for those facing challenges.
“It is a genuine win-win that demonstrates a company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) credentials have real substance.”
Pilot Opportunities Open for Local Businesses
All four founding partners have launched limited pilot offers available immediately for Bath-based companies looking to enhance their employee engagement and corporate social responsibility strategy.
Businesses interested in taking up one of the pilot offers or learning more about getting involved in the BRACE initiative are encouraged to get in touch with Chris or David via the Rotary Club of Bath on rotarybath.org.uk.
