Croydon Commitment

04/11/2026

Models for Heroes provides free model-making sessions for serving and former members of the Armed Forces and emergency services, including Fire, Police and Ambulance personnel.

And the best bit? No experience is needed, and everything is provided completely free of charge – from the kits and tools to all the materials.

But this is about so much more than making models, it’s about friendship, companionship, finding a sense of purpose, building confidence, creating routine and, most importantly, having a welcoming place to spend time with people who understand.

Whether you fancy trying something new, are looking for a bit of company, or simply want somewhere to go for a couple of hours, you’ll be made very welcome.

Where: Purley Fire Station
When: Every Thursday, starting this week
Time: 7pm–9pm

Come along, meet some friendly faces and give model-making a go. You don't need to have built a model before. Please share this post with anyone who might benefit from joining. ❤️

03/11/2026

A GOLF DAY WITH A PURPOSE

Great events don’t come about by accident — and we’re incredibly grateful to the people who have come together to make this one happen.

The Croydon Commitment Golf Day is being organised by:
Rajan Amin - PK Partnership
Mark Deragon - RedDoor IT
Elin O’Neill - RedDoor IT
Craig Lewis - MYPT Croydon: Gym & Studio

They’re bringing businesses and the community together for a day of golf, networking, fun and fundraising, all in support of the work of Croydon Commitment.

When: Friday 30th April 2027
Where: Shirley Park Golf Club
Team packages: £500, including hole sponsorship and more.

But this isn't simply about hitting a few good shots.

Every pound raised will help Croydon Commitment continue connecting businesses, schools and community organisations across the borough — creating opportunities, supporting social value and helping local people and communities thrive.

We want this to be a day where businesses can up their game for Croydon.

Who's getting a team together? Contact [email protected] for details.

31/10/2026

There are so many ways you can volunteer with us, even just giving up a little time to listen to children read each week can make a big difference.

These images showcase the beautiful thank you book presented to Mott MacDonald by Arc Oval school's staff and children, a lovely reminder of the connections made and the impact of their generosity when they participated in a reading scheme last term.

The importance of initiatives like this cannot be underestimated:

📖 Children who read for pleasure make greater progress in both maths and vocabulary, with the positive impact on cognitive development being greater than the advantage associated with having a parent with a degree (UCL research).

📖 A study of more than 370,000 secondary school pupils found a significant link between reading ability and GCSE success across all subjects, including maths and science (GL Assessment).

📖 National Literacy Trust research suggests that encouraging all children to read for pleasure daily could result in an additional 1.1 million young people achieving five good GCSEs over a generation.

At Croydon Commitment, we believe this is a brilliant example of how local businesses can make a meaningful difference by sharing something incredibly valuable – their time, skills and enthusiasm.

Volunteering doesn't always have to mean a whole day away from the office or a major commitment. Sometimes, giving up a lunch break once a week is enough to make a lasting difference to a child's confidence and future opportunities.

Thank you to everyone at Mott MacDonald who got involved, and to the school staff and children for making the volunteers so welcome.

Could your business spare an hour, a lunch break or a little time to support a local school or community organisation? There are so many ways to get involved, and we'd love to help you find an opportunity that makes a difference.

29/10/2026

Building brighter futures for Croydon’s care-experienced young people.

Croydon Commitment was delighted to attend the launch of the Croydon House Project with I Love Croydon on Tuesday 27 October, celebrating an exciting new initiative that will make a real difference to the lives of young people transitioning from care into independent adulthood.

The two-year pilot, delivered in partnership with the NHP will support care-experienced young people to develop the practical skills, confidence and support networks they need to build successful, independent lives.

From budgeting and cooking to managing a home and understanding tenancy responsibilities, the programme will help equip participants with the foundations for a positive future.

At Croydon Commitment, we believe every young person deserves the opportunity to fulfil their potential. That's why we were proud to pledge our support to the project, offering employability workshops to help care leavers develop the skills, confidence and knowledge they need to take their next steps into education, training and employment.

We look forward to working alongside the Croydon House Project team and other local partners to help open doors, create opportunities and ensure these young people feel supported, connected and empowered as they embark on this exciting new chapter.

A huge well done to everyone involved in bringing this important initiative to Croydon, particularly the young ambassadors whose lived experience has helped shape the project.

Together, we can help build brighter futures.

23/10/2026

Celebrating connection, community and the power of volunteering!

Croydon Commitment was delighted to attend the Mott MacDonald Croydon Early Years Professionals Fair, showcasing the fantastic clubs and opportunities available to younger colleagues to connect and develop new interests - from sports and crafts to everything in between!

We were particularly pleased to see volunteering recognised as an important part of the conversation. Volunteering offers a valuable opportunity for younger colleagues to share their skills, experiences and perspectives while making a meaningful difference in their local community.

Their contribution can be especially powerful when supporting employability workshops for young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET). Having recently navigated many of the same challenges, younger professionals can offer relatable advice, practical insights and encouragement, helping young people build confidence, recognise their potential and take positive steps towards their future.

A huge thank you to Mott MacDonald for inviting Croydon Commitment to be part of this fantastic event and for championing opportunities that support both employee wellbeing and community impact.

21/10/2026

Looking to start a career in IT or Cyber Security? This could be the opportunity for you!

At Croydon Commitment, we’re passionate about connecting local people with opportunities that help them build skills, boost their confidence and move into meaningful employment.

We’re sharing this fantastic opportunity from Skills Academy Digital Hub at Capital City College delivered in partnership with Generation UK: a FREE IT Support with Cyber Security Bootcamp, with a few places remaining on the December cohort.

What’s on offer?
- Free, in-person training at Regent’s Park campus, London
- No previous IT experience or university degree required
- Practical training in IT hardware, software, networks and cyber security
- CV and interview preparation, one-to-one mentoring and employer connections
- A pathway towards IT support roles, with previous graduates progressing to interviews and jobs with employers including BT, River Island and Transport for London.

Starting: Monday 7 December 2026 (subject to change)
Duration: 10 weeks, Monday to Friday, 9:30am–3:45pm
Location: Regent’s Park campus, London
Cost: Completely free

Who can apply?

Anyone aged 19+ who lives in London, has the right to work in the UK and is not in full-time education or employment. Some people on zero-hours contracts may also be eligible.

The programme particularly welcomes applications from people underrepresented in the tech industry, including women and those without university degrees.

At Croydon Commitment, we know how important access to the right opportunities can be, especially for people facing barriers to employment. If you know someone in Croydon or across London who could benefit, please share this post or encourage them to apply.

Find out more and apply here:
https://www.capitalccg.ac.uk/short-course/it-support-with-cybersecurity-bootcamp/BOOK_CCCG_SHORT3028/

Let’s help more people take their first steps into a career in tech!

Consortium

Capital City College is proud to partner with Generation UK to deliver a new 10-week in-person IT Support with Cybersecu

15/10/2026

The figures in this graphic are just a snapshot of the impact Croydon Commitment is having across our local community.

Behind every number is time, expertise, opportunity and connection - helping businesses make a real difference through employability, volunteering and social value.

But there’s an important point behind these figures - our work doesn’t happen for free.

We’re proud to help businesses deliver their CSR and social value commitments, but our time and expertise come at a cost.

We’re incredibly grateful to the partners who invest in what we do, it's the ongoing financial support from Mott MacDonald, Allianz worlwide partners, NEC Software Solutions and TBXH that makes this work possible, but the challenge is that more and more businesses want the impact, without the investment. And that means we can only go so far.

With the right funding, we could do so much more. If your business wants to invest in making a difference locally, we’d love to talk: [email protected]

07/10/2026

📅 SAVE THE DATE: CROYDON COMMITMENT GOLF DAY

We’re delighted to announce the Croydon Commitment Golf Day for 2027, taking place on:

Friday 30th April 2027
Shirley Park Golf Club, 196 Addiscombe Road, CR0 7LB

This fantastic day is being organised by Rajan Amin from PK Partnership Mark Deragon and Elin O’Neill from RedDoor IT and Craig Lewis from MYPT Croydon: Gym & Studio with one important aim - to raise much-needed funds for Croydon Commitment.

Founded in 2004, we have spent more than two decades connecting the local business community with schools, charities and voluntary organisations across the borough.

The funds raised from this Golf Day will help us continue that work; creating opportunities, developing social value programmes, connecting businesses with communities and helping to improve the lives of Croydon residents.

⛳ Team packages are just £500, including hole sponsorship and much more.

So get the date in your diary, start thinking about your team and get ready for a brilliant day of golf, networking and giving back to our borough.

01/10/2026

Yesterday, we were delighted to be invited back to Croydon Vision to explore whether starting your own business could be an alternative route to work.

For people with sight impairment, finding employment can be a significant challenge. Research from RNIB highlights the continuing employment gap for people with sight loss - which makes creating alternative routes to earning an income all the more important.

One of those routes can be self-employment.

And rather than simply talking about the theory, we wanted to share a real story.

We were incredibly grateful to have the support of UP - Where Your Next Level Starts who shared some of the support available for starting a business in Croydon and Róisín Murtagh from Airtek Surveys Ltd who told us how her husband turned a hobby that started during Covid lockdown into a business venture for them both.

Roisin was refreshingly honest about the reality of starting a business; the highs, the lows, the mistakes, and some of the lessons learned. Most importantly, she showed that a business doesn't necessarily start with a big idea or a detailed five-year plan.

Sometimes, it starts with a hobby, a skill, or a problem you've found a way to solve, with the thought: “Could I turn this into something?”

Self-employment isn't the right route for everyone, and it certainly comes with its own challenges. But for some people with sight impairment, it can provide another way to use their skills and create an income on their own terms.

A huge thank you to Start Up Croydon > UP and especially Róisín for helping us make the session so practical, honest and inspiring.

And to everyone at Croydon Vision who joined us: we hope you left thinking…
“Maybe I could do this too.”

30/09/2026

Yesterday, Croydon Commitment had the pleasure of presenting a Lunch & Learn session on behalf of the Home Office introducing over 200 colleagues to our charity, the work we do across Croydon, and the many volunteering opportunities available.

We were delighted to receive an average rating of 4.57 out of 5 stars — and even more excited to see the enthusiasm translate into action.

The feedback we received was incredibly encouraging, with the team at the Home Office sharing how pleased they were with the turnout and how inspiring it was to see the event already creating momentum.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us, asked questions, shared their enthusiasm and now considering giving their time to support our local community.

We’re looking forward to building on this momentum and keeping volunteering visible across the Croydon office.

Together, we can make a real difference in Croydon. 💙